The Troubles of Being in Love With Sirius Black
by padfootqueen
Summary: MWPP era. Lily's best friend Cordelia Ash comes to Hogwarts as in exchange student. What will happen when sparks fly between Cory and Sirius? Learn how Hogwarts might never be the same! Not a Mary Sue! I promise! please read and review!
1. Fateful Beginnings

Chapter 1- An offer 

Summer of 1985 (lily and the marauders were born in 1970)

"What are we going to do?"

"We'll do what we always do, Lily…."

"I hate this! Why does it have to be like this?"

"I don't know…maybe in our past lives we messed with the wrong people…."

She wiped a tear from her eye and hugged her friend. "Be serious, Cor……for once…" 

"I heard that."

"Good. But really what are we going to do?" 

"Lily, we'll just write and owl each other every chance we get like we always do…don't worry."

"But I do worry, Cory. What if you meet a new best friend…"

"Lily, your not only my best friend. You're my family. You don't forget family."

With that the two girls just cried.

The tears had by now dried but Cordelia Ash's heart was still pained. It always hurt to be away from Lily Evans, her best friend. The two had met in their first year at Camp Jackup and had instantly become closer then two girls could become. But there was only one hitch in their friendship. After camp an ocean came between them. Lily lived in London and attended Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Where as Cordelia lived in New York City and went to Pengelum Academy for Magical Advancement.

Every time they had to leave each other at the end of every camp term their hearts wrenched and they went into depression.

And this seemed to be worse then any other year. Cory didn't know why but when she walked towards the airplane and across the runway to the small plane that would take her south away from Vermont to New York City. She looked up and saw Lily looking through the window, waving to her with tear stained cheeks. This made Cory's eyes tear up but she held them back and waved. She hated seeing Lily unhappy and sad so she made a face that always made her laugh. After sticking out her tongue, sucking in her cheeks and crossing her eyes, she went on to the plane and began her travel back to NYC.

"Hey, Cor, we got to go or we'll be late for the welcoming feast and speech." Tara one of Cory's school friends said to her and snapped her out of her daydream of remembrance. Another year was about to start, that meant a year filled with countdowns till Christmas when Cory could see Lily and hopes of a great quidditch season. Cory sighed and tried her brown semi-curly, semi-straight hair back into a ponytail. Her piecing blue eyes gazed back at her in the mirror in her room and as she did a last check over. Satisfied, Cory went down to the common room where she went to down to the eating area with her friends in Callahan House, her house.

Once Cory reached the hall she and her friends took their seats and started to swap summer stories until the Headmaster stood up and faced the students. "Well welcome back to Pengelum old faces and new! I have some very exciting news! Over this summer a special scholarship program was set up and I am very happy to say that this year we will be transferring a student from each house to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! And in turn 4 of their students will be coming here to Pengelum. This is a great honor for those have offered this option! After a year each student will be offered the option of returning to Pengelum or continuing their education at Hogwarts. From Madrick House- Jason Bates, Qualberry- Ashley Jennings, Lerock- Edmond Harris and from Callahan- Cordelia Ash, will all be, if they chose to, leaving in 5 days to attend classes at Hogwarts! Congratulations!!"

'What the fuck????' was all that was going through Cory's mind. People all around her were congratulating her except for her quidditch teammates who were mad they would be losing there star chaser, but even they managed to say congrats in the end.

Hogwarts! Lily's school! This had to be a dram. But it wasn't because her headmaster pulled her aside after the dinner and asked her for her decision. Naturally, Cory said yes. She was going to go to classes with her best friend in the world!! Things were defiantly looking up for this year!


	2. London and Lily

Chapter 2- London and Lily

Five days later Cory got loaded up into a plane and was sent across the ocean to London, England. To say that Cory was on cloud nine would be the understatement of the century. The whole plane ride there she talked to Ashley Jennings her closest friend out of the bunch picked to go to Hogwarts on scholarship. Ash started to get quite annoyed with Cory after she started jumping up and down in her seat for a good ten minutes straight. But she couldn't help it she was just too excited. London. Honestly how could this happen? How could something so good happen to her? It absolutely baffled her.

Closer and closer she was getting to England and then it happened.

The pilot's voice came through the speakers and said, "Ladies and gentlemen we will be landing in Heathrow Airport in around five minutes. So please set your seats in the upright position and put your tray tables away. Thank you."

Five minutes! Five minutes!

The plane landed with out a hitch and Cory, Bates, Ash and Eddie got off the plane. There at the welcome area was a sign the said, '_Pengelum Students'._ They headed over there and a man in green nodded to them and led them out to the car.

London street after London street passed by and with each street came a new wonder. Cory didn't tell Lily that she would be coming. Yes, it sounded awful but the possibility of surprising Lily was too much to pass up.

"Your books have been already bought for you so don't worry about that." Came the voice of driver from the front.

"Good. I was beginning to worry. The thought of buying them my self was just taunting me…" Jason Bates said. In all honestly, Cory had a burning, passionate hatred for him. He was an arrogant prick and a purist. Above all Cory hated purists. Most people wouldn't think that because she was pure herself, but she was. He was so cocky it was almost hard to believe.

"Bates, do us all a favor and remove your head from your ass, you cocky son of a bitch. Honestly are you scared to rub elbows with someone who isn't as rich as you?"

"Yes. As a matter of fact I am you bitche, muggle lover. You are a disgrace to your bloodline. Wh-"

However, he didn't get to finish because at that point Cory lunged at him from the other side of the cab. If I hadn't been for Ash holding her back Bates would have probably gotten the shit kicked out of him like no other time before. No wands needed.

The cab stopped about five minutes later in front of a dusty old looking pub. A sign hung from above the door that read _The Leaky Cauldron_. Cory seemed to think that she had heard Lily talk about a place by that name but she really didn't have time to think about that. They headed into the pub and were greeted by an old man who introduced himself as Tom.

Tom led the four of them upstairs into their own personal rooms. Cory's room had a view of the street below and had a large four-poster bed in the center of it. In the corner was a desk. She walked over to it after setting down her luggage. On the desk she assumed were her books. Cory sat down and started flipping through the books. Her wand that was currently jutting into her backside so she removed and placed on the desk surface. Cory then realized that she hadn't written down any of this journey into her journal. Not even bothering to use her wand she summoned her journal from her bag. One talent that not many people knew about was that Cory was a unique. Being a unique meant that Cory could do magic without her wand. Everyone always said that it was a secret that in the right time it would help her. Cory just kept it quiet and used only sometimes. But it was always very fun to use. So, she settled down and started to write down the latest happenings.

The next morning there was a loud knock on the door. Slowly, Cory looked over at the clock on her bedside. The clock read 9:30. This was way too early for Cory's liking. But she struggled out of bed and went over to the door. Once the door was opened, she looked at who was standing in front of her. There stood Ashley. "What the hell do you want, Ashley?"

"Time to get up, dearest sunshine!" He was way to perky in the morning for Cory's taste. But, she rolled with it and shut the door. Then it hit her. Today was the day she got to go to school. Got to go see Lily! As quick as could be, Cory was dressed. In her most comfortable ripped at the knees jeans and a loose red tank top, Cory was set. Slipping into her black sandals, she gave herself a once over. Her hair was looking a little odd so she grabbed two hair bands and made two braids out of her hair. They hung down on the front of her chest and because the tank top she was wearing was a tad short you could see her pieced belly button ring. Hanging on the hoop was a red and black beaded design-like thing, which Lily had gotten her for her birthday last year. She was finally ready.

Tom took care of the entire luggage situation and after a quick breakfast, the four of them went out to the cab again that would take them to, as the driver had informed them, to a place called King's Cross Station.

The cab whizzed down street by street and soon they were in font of the station. They all got out and Ash and Cory naturally went to the back of the cab to get their bags. They were about to pop open the trunk when the driver stopped them and said that he would take care of it. They argued but in the end just went with the others inside.

Once inside they followed their instructions that Tom had given them. They were to go track nine and three quarters. Nine and three quarters? God England was strange… Brushing that aside Cory found her self standing in front of a brick wall that she was expected to walk through. Starting slowly, her and Ash took it at a run and headed straight towards the wall. _Oh, god I am to crash! I am going to crash! OH GOD OH GOD!!!!_ Then she opened her eyes, which she had shut because for the second time in her live she was scared, and saw about a hundred people and a blazing red train spewing smoke up into the air. She had done it. Behind Cory the others came through then they all made their way over to the train to board it. Ash, Eddie and Bates all got on but Cory stayed off in hopes of finding Lily.

For a while she just roamed around aimlessly but then, she heard a familiar vice. A fairly annoyed and peeved sounding familiar voice. Slowly she turned and there was her best friend who was currently yelling at a group of four people.

Lily then looked right at Cory as she was saying something then looked away. But then she stopped talking looked back at Cory. Lily's eyes nearly shot right out of her head and her mouth sagged down. Cory couldn't help it and started to laugh at her friend. She stopped laughing and ran over to her friend. She stopped right in front of her slightly pushing two people aside and entering the circle. Cory laughed and then said casually, "Hey there best friend."

Lily screamed and gripped Cory into a hug. "Oh my god! Oh my god!"

Then she stopped and looked at her best friend. "Is it really you?" she said eyeing Cory suspiciously.

All Cory had to do was lift up her pant leg and show her her anklet that she and Lily had made over the summer together and Lily was convinced it really was her best friend. Lilly screamed again and then started jumping up and down in place gripping Cory's hands in hers, which of course Cory started to do as well. They couldn't have been happier to see one and other. Everything was perfect.


	3. Riding on the Hogwarts Express

Train was going mile by mile and Cory was getting closer and closer to her new home. The two best friends sat talking and some times screaming, to each other about anything and everything. From guys to newest muggle movies, the girls couldn't stop talking. It was like they had been apart for ten years and not only ten days. As the train grew faster, so did the rate of the girls talking. Light outside the window was getting darker and darker and after about two hours of straight talking the two decided to change into their robes early so they could have more time to talk later.

Tom had given Cory and the others before they had left a package. Inside the package was a single black Hogwarts robe with the Hogwarts crest on the upper left hand corner of the robe. Once down the hall to the bathrooms where the girls could change, the two of them quickly got dressed. The Hogwarts Express had surprisingly nice bathrooms with floor length mirrors in them. Cory steped out of a stall and Lily looked at her nodding her head up and down. Cory turned and looked at herself in the mirror. She looked surprisingly good in her plan black robes. She couldn't believe she was wearing Hogwarts robes. The fact that this still wasn't a dream was a very hard concept still for Cory to grasp.

They left and started to make their way back to the compartment. They were just about there, when one compartment and the door fling open. A guy came sprawling out onto the floor in front of Cory, groaning/ screaming. Lily smashed into Cory's back and Cory gripped both the wall and window to keep from falling to the floor too. The both of them looked up to see who had caused this guy to come flailing out of this compartment.

One guy came out of the compartment next roaring with laughter. He had light brown hair and was pretty tall. But then again tallness was never one of Cory's strong points. Next was a guy with possibly some of the messiest black hair Cory had ever seen and glasses who was, at the current moment, in such a fit of laughter that it was probable he wasn't going to recover any time soon. On the other side of him was a girl with light brown hair and glasses that was crying she was laughing so hard. And in middle of all this stood a single person whose foot landed on the ground with a thud. It was to appear that this guy in the middle had kicked the guy on the floor out of the compartment. The middle guy stood at a high height and had shoulder length jet-black hair (if you really wish to see what his hair looks like then see 10 things I hate about you and look at heath ledgers hair!) and from under his hair shown two even deeper black eyes. He seemed very proud of himself and chuckling at his own actions. Then to Cory's non-surprise Lily stepped in.

"OMG! You four need to grow up!" You shot to look at Lily. She really needed to calm down and not be such a disciplinarian all of the time. But still Cory just sighed and let her yell a little. But really Lily needed to show her fun side more often then she did.

"Evans!" The black haired boy with glasses said and stopped laughing immediately. Also Cory noticed, he ruffed his hair. _What was that about?_ Cory thought.

"James stop it and act your age!" she yelled at this poor guy whose name Cory learned was James. _Wait! _ Cory thought, _Was this the guy Lily had said she was secretly in love with? No, then why was she yelling at him and being so mean to him?_

"Jeez Evans take a breath we were just having some fun! You know, 'ha ha'?" the girl said. Cory finally took her head out of her thoughts and looked at the group. But then she felt like someone was looking at her. And sure enough she looked up and the kicker was starring directly down at her.

For the first time she really looked at him intently. All of a sudden she felt like she was being drained of her strength. His eyes captivated her and she felt like she was being filled with an unexplainable high. His body she could tell just by looking at him, was absolutely flawless and Cory felt like if she died right that very second her life would have been worth it because she would have seen such beauty. But her thoughts were interrupted when she felt another stare. She looked to her right and there was another guy.

This guy wasn't remotely as attractive as the other guy she had been looking at was. This guy was the one who had been kicked out of the compartment. He wasn't as tall as the others and he was currently looking at Cory's chest and navel ring as if she wasn't noticing and wasn't caring. She looked at him and could feel herself getting really mad.

He smiled the most revolting and greasy smile she'd ever seen and said, "Hello. I'm Sevrus Snape. Are you new here? Well you must be because I've never seen you before and I know everyone." _Is he kidding? That was the best flirting he could do? Wow that was sad_,Cory thought. He returned his gaze to her body and that was when she had had enough.

"All right there is one kind of person I really can't stand in the world, and that's not counting purists, it's the people who look at my body when I don't even know them. Okay? So here's what your going to do, asshole. First take your eyes off my chest and abdomen. Second don't you ever try to pick me up again by acting like a pretty boy, which I can assure you of the fact that you are not even remotely attractive." Now some girls might have stopped here, but Cordelia Ash was not like most girls. When some girls cried, she got angry or laughed. When some girls would have gone to a teacher to tattle, Cory got even with that person and good. So that was why she just kept going at Snape. "Now your going to get the fuck out of me and my best friend's way or I will permanently hurt you."

Snape's face went completely white with fear Cory was almost tempted to laugh, but that would ruin the whole tough-girl thing she had going. Also how else was she going to get him to stop looking at her chest? The two girls started to walk past. The girl and the boy called James start laughing, while the other two guys starred in shock. They moved about three feet when Cory stopped and turned back to Snape. She said, "Oh and if you even think I didn't feel your eyes start to slide down to my butt, then you've got more problems then I thought. You keep your eyes off, or I swear on Lily's life," She said threateningly to Snape and leaned over to him then continued, "I will hex your fucking balls off with out a second thought. You got me, jackass? Good."

Lily eyes were wide and she let out a snort of laughter. Cory grabbed her and the two best friends ran down the hallway together towards their compartment, their laughter ringing through the corridor behind them.


	4. The Truth About Sirius

The Hogwarts express pulled into Hogsmeade station and Cory and Lily got out and went with everyone else. The crowds of yelling teenagers all were making their way in one direction. They were caught in a conversation and didn't mind the yelling surrounding them at all. People yelled from one head of the massive line to the very back things like, "OH MY GOD!!!! IT'S YOU!" or there was the very entertaining "You did what over the summer!? How could you??!!"

Lily saw some of the girls she knew and Cory recognized from pictures Lily would bring to camp. The pictures were taken at quidditch parties or in the town of Hogsmeade that Lily loved. The first girl that spoke introduced herself as Bethany and said she was honored to meet the great Cordelia Ash, very jokingly. Apparently Lily talked about Cory as much as Cory talked about Lily. Bethany was a tall girl who had medium length black hair and whose brown eyes were shielded from by oval shaped glasses. Cory and Bethany became very quick friends because their senses of humor were very similar; witty and very sarcastic. The other girl went by Emma and had curly blonde hair and was so genuine Cory was waiting for her to say 'psyche!'. Really, Cory couldn't imagine Emma ever saying a bad thing about anyone. She could probably, in Cory's mind, pass for becoming the Hogwarts Welcome Wagon. Once they we're all laughing and chatting, they made their way down the path with everyone else. "Hey Lily." Came a voice from behind the girls and all four of them turned to face those people from the train.

And there he was, possibly the most sexy and sinful guys Cory had ever seen. And Cory had seen in her time plenty of fine looking guys, but this guy in front of her had to be the most gorgeous. Cory eyes glued upon his and his upon hers. Soon Cory was completely faint and entranced with him. She knew she was being pathetic about this but that was really how she felt. Also it seemed that he was entranced with her as well. Cory couldn't help but think _What is going on with this? God, I feel like I'm in a romance novel..._

"What do you want Potter?" Lily said impatiently. But then Lily took her eyes off of James and looked at Cory clearly ready to tell her something but then stopped. Slowly Lily realized what was happening. She gaped at Cory. Quickly everyone in the little group too realized what was happening. But Cory and the guy in front of her didn't seem to noticed the stares they were getting. The three trouble makers all exchanged looks. They knew what was going on. Their fourth best friend had found his first prospect for the year. Soon the two would date. She would fall head over heels for Sirius and then he would leave her because he feared that she would want to learn about his past. This would leave the fallen prospect hurt, in some cases angered, but most of the time they would still if you asked say that Sirius Black knew how to treat a girl when he dated her and would say that they would do it again in a heartbeat. It was a cycle. A very vicious cycle, which none of the girls at Hogwarts had caught on to yet. But that hadn't started yet. At the current time, Cory and Sirius were completely absorbed with each other and that was all that seemed to matter.

Lily's eyes, still practically bulging out of her head. They went from Cory then to Sirius and quickly her eyes, if even possible, widened with even more shock. After about a minute in which no one spoke, Lily had had enough. She grabbed Cory forcefully by the arm and quite literally dragged her towards their transportation to the castle with Bethany and Emma in toe. Before long, the grisl were all sitting in a carridge and were being moved up to the castle.

Bethany was the first to bring up the think they were thinking about, "Alright, Cory spill. Now. How do you know Mr. Gorgeous?"

Cory was about to speak when Lily cut in, "She doesn't. It's not possible. She has never been to England before yesterday. There's no possible way they could have met…."

"Then…Oh…OH!" Emma said, "You like him, don't you?"

Cory felt herself turn red. "You do!!!! YOU DO!" Behany said and Lily fake gagged. All the girls laughed and Cory nodded. She did.

"But", Cory exclaimed, "I don't even know him! My God. I just moved here and already I'm into a guy. This is so annoying. I don't need a guy! I'm so sick of guys right now. I don't want a boyfriend. Wait, scratch that, I don't _need_ a boyfriend. I mean, really, I don't even know his name how can I like him!?'

The other three girls all looked at each other. They all just shook their heads. "He's done it again." Lily said

"What?" Cory questioned.

"Yea. I wonder when he'll ask her?" Emma said. "I'll say it right now, I'm sorry."

"Hope you have a good time." Bethany said.

"Will someone please explain to me what the fuck you guys are talking about!?"

"Sirius Black. A.K.A. your new love. Yeah, well he…." Bethany said but trailed off.

Luckily Lily picked up. But her voice was a little angered, "He in the last four years and he probably will continue to, use women. He has at least dated forty percent of the female population of Hogwarts. He seduces then."

"But," Bethany took up again, "he is positively is one of the most sexy, delicious, – Em gimmie another synonym for Sirius Black or sexy or wait there the same thing..."

"Heavenly?" Emma ventured, Lily snorted and looked out the window, with her eyes narrowed. She was obviously mad about the topic of conversation.

Bethany nodded and continued, "Yes. Nice one, Emma. Heavenly. Defiantly. Ahh, he is so amazing."

The carriage slowed and the girls got out. They made their way up the stairs to the castle. It blew your mind. The castle was monstrous! It looked like it was most likely built two hundred years ago and was absolutely spectacular. A smile spread across Cory's face. Hogwarts. Finally. She would get to see all the things Lily talked about.

"So," Cory whispered to Bethany because Lily obviously wasn't to keen on talking about, "his name is Sirius? Like the star?"

"Yea." Bethany whispered back. "Sirius Black. He's in Griffindor. Where you better get sorted into or else I'll burn that hat. But, rea-" She didn't get to finish because at that moment a witch came up to Cory and said, "Cordelia Ash?"

"Yes Ma'am." She answered. She was always told to be polite when first meeting people. That was if the person was a teacher or at a higher position then her. If it was just a normal person she was just herself. She didn't care if people liked it or not. She was who she was and no one could change her.

"Please come with me." She said and turned her back and began to walk away. Cory looked at her friends, but then just decided to role with it and followed the witch. With more last look at Lily, Cory left. Where the witch was standing, Cory could see that Ash, Bates and Eddie were all being brought over too. Cory stood next to Ash and silently couldn't help but think of Sirius. She looked over towards the people shuffling into the Great Hall and there he was. He was listening to something James was saying and then burst out laughing. She couldn't hear over the yelling loud noises others were making, but she wished she could have.

"This way, please." The witch said and they were bought down a long hallway. They entered a classroom and the witch spoke again. "My name is Professor McGonagual. I teach transfiguration here at Hogwarts and I'm also the Deputy Headmistress. We are going to place you all in your equivalent houses. Now Mr. Jennings you will be in Hufflepuff. Mr. Bates, Slytherin, Mr. Harris, Ravenclaw and Ms. Ash, Griffindor. Now will you please follow me and we wil join the rest of the school in the Great Hall."

Cory was ecstatic! Griffindor. She was in Griffindor! YES! This was awesome! She couldn't wait to get back to the hall to see Lily and the girls. They were going to be so happy!

"Oh," Prof. McGonagual said over her shoulder, "your robed have already been brought up to your rooms so don't worry about that."

The five of them made their way into the Great Hall and they all got shown where to go. Cory made her way down the length of the table. All the girls searching her face for any way to tell which house she was in. Cory put on a blank face made her way over to the table. Lily sat on one side with an empty seat next to her and one of the guys from the train was seating in on the other side. He was the one guy whose name Cory didn't get. Next to him was the girl whose name she also didn't get. On the other side of the table was Emma and Bethany., then James and Sirius. Her heart jumped. Lily grabbed Cory's hand tightly.

"What?" she said her eyes mixed with fear and hope. "What house if it's not Griffindor then I'm going to go complain. I may be small, but I can argue. We'll get you switched. Don't worry. L-"

Bethany cut in. "Jeez, Lily, okay breath and let her speak."

Lily still held her hand and Cory looked at her friends. Then she said very mildly, "Griffindor."

But of course she dropped her whole façade and broke into a huge small. The girls all screamed and Lily pulled Cory down on the seat. Lily hugged her best friend tightly.

"Really, did you think I'd be put anywhere else?" Cory said sarcastically. "No one in their right mind would want to bore the wrath of Lily Margaret Evans? Who?"

Everyone laughed and Croy felt for some reason that she was home.

Dinner ended and the girls took Cory back to the dorm. They made their way down hallway after hallway and Cory was left astonished after each turn they took. Upon entering the Griffindor Common room, Cory fell immediately in love with it. It was beautiful. It had a great homely feel to it. The walls were painted a deep, strong red and there were brown leather couches and chairs around a roaring fire in the center of the room. There were also tables along the back walls for studying and any other activities a Griffindor could possibly do. Home. This would be Cory's home for the next two years of her life.

But they were all so tired that they decided that it would be best if they all went up to sleep. So up they went to the sleeping dormitory and there on her bed Cory found her robes. She loved them and was so excited to even be here and have her own bed! At Hogwarts! YES! This was perfect!

Or at least it would have been if her past horrors had not came back to visit her in her dreams that night.


	5. The Past and Present Fights

A/N: Hello Readers! OMG! Thank you so much to those who reviewed I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH! Please keep reviewing it makes me so happy! Thank you again and before you all kill me I will get on with the story! Please review! Oh by the way, Peter Pettigrew is not in this story. I **_HATE _**him with a passion, so I cut him out. But do not worry I have a huge plot in mind for after school and stuff so don't worry and if you keep reviewing and reading you will learn of what happens! Love from padfootqueen!

Those damn dreams. They always came back when Cory wouldn't want them to. Cory shot up out of bed and held back a scream. She had become very good at not screaming in her sleep like she use to when she would dream about her past. When she would dream she would always dream of her past. Her dreams were mostly of the night her parents died. She would be in her kitchen with her mother and father then their backdoor would explode and her parents would start fighting. The six year old version of herself would crouch in the corner of their kitchen screaming as the fighting took place. Ophelia and Aidan Ash were trained and highly respected Aurors and knew how to defend themselves. They were strongly out numbered ten to two but they managed to get rid of five before Cory's mother got shot with the killing cruse. Her screaming would fill Cory's ears forever and her father would yell in agony, "Ophelia! No!" He would then get killed and then Cory would be left alone. But it would never end there. The laughter. It always followed. That horrid cackle. Then the masks of the remaining five people would come off. The original Deatheaters. And of course their leader. Voldemort. This was back when he actually did his own dirty work. But she guessed that the idea of killing two of the most famous Aurors in history was too tempting not to do. His eyes would then fall upon Cordelia. He would smile. His smile was what tended at haunt her the most. She would keep screaming like she had been when he would then silence her. One of the Deatheaters would then step forward and ask to kill her. But for some reason Voldemort would say, "No. She is the last Ash. Let's let her live. That would be better. Wouldn't it? So, she will have to live with this pain…Yes that is what we will do. Let her suffer. But also let her know this," Then he would with a swish of his wand she would be up on the counter and he would step in font of her and continue, "one day I will return for you Cordelia Ash and the pain that you feel now will be nothing compared to what I will do to you then." That would be it. He and the others would leave and she would silently cry and scream. She went over to her parents bodies and cried on them for awhile not wanting to believe that her parents were really dead. What seemed like hours later men showed up. Even till this day she couldn't remember what the men looked like. All she remembered was one of them picking her up and carrying her away. That was always the dream. Over and over again she would witness it. She never told anyone about. Well, except for Lily of course. Lily always had the perfect way to calm Cory down. It just added to the reasons Cory and Lily were best friends.

Cory rose off her bed and headed to the bathroom. She went in and went over to the sinks. She turned the cold water on and let it run. She took some of it and splashed it on her face. She hated her dreams. She use to cry over them but now that sadness had been put out and now it's place was taken by anger. He said that he would come for her and by then when he did she would be ready. She hated him so much. He was the reason she was left with no family and had to pushed around from one abusive foster home to another one over and over again. She looked at herself in the mirror and starred into her eyes. Sighing at the fact that she would never get to get rid of these dreams that plagued her, she went back out into the bedroom area. Slowly she sank back into her bed. Glancing over at the clock she learned that it was 3:45 in the morning. Just wonderful. Cory laid down on her bed and tried to get some sleep. After about thirty minutes if laying there and replaying the dream in her mind, her eyes finally gave way and she went to sleep.

"Oh move faster damn it!" Lily yelled at a few first years that looked absolutely terrified.

"She doesn't mean it." Cory said as she dragged Cory, quite literally, down the hallway.

"Oh yes I do!" she yelled over her shoulder and continued down the hallway, "I am not being late on the first afternoon of classes! We are getting to those damn dungeons on time!"

Lily of course was freaking out over the fact that they might be late for their very first class of the new term; Potions. She was a woman on a mission and nothing was stopping her. That was just so Lily. Being punctual was something she prided herself on. Hence why Lily woke Cory up at seven and demanded that they be the first ones ready. _Why? So early? _Cory had thought to herself, _Why?_

Lily continued her mad dash to potions down a hallway and busted through a group of four people who immediately yelled "Hey, jeez!"

Cory then turned to begin her apologetic speech again. "Look I'm sor-"

But her voice got caught in her throat. The Marauders. As she had learned they called themselves. Bethany seemed to know everything about Sirius. She told Cory it was because her younger sister, Zoë, was best friends with his cousin,Nymphadora and Tonks, as she preferred to be called, loved her cousin and adored talking about him. Sadly though it either way wouldn't have mattered what you said because Lily just kept dragging Cordelia to their first class. Much to her relief, as well as her arm's relief too, they finally made it to the dungeons. Of course Cory and Lily arrived early and were faced with numerous people. They made their way past people till they came across Emma, Bethany and a girl Cory had never met before. Lily made proper introductions and Cory learned that the new girl's name was Ann Runnel. Cory wasn't going to lie she got a weird vibe from Ann that she couldn't explain. But, because Ann was one of Lily's friends Cory kept her mouth shut. They soon were all talking when Ann made this fainting noise. Lily looked at behind Cory and then looked directly at Cory.

"Oh not again." Emma said.

Bethany said, "Oh best time of the day…"

Cory broke Lily's eye contact and turned around. Your eyes then met with none other then Sirius Black and his friends. The four of them seemed to be making their way over to Cory's group and she could fell herself blushing so she quickly turned away. "Oh fucking Merlin, he's coming over here!" Ann squealed

It was now ultimately obvious that Ann was in love Sirius Black as well. For some reason Cory felt herself getting angry. She and Lily looked at each other that was really all she could do. Just look at each other. Either of them wanted to look at the group of people descending upon their little circle. Lily loved James and couldn't let him know, and Cory were totally taken with Sirius but couldn't let him know.

The group had finally reached them and James was first to speak, "Hey Evans."

"Potter." Lily responded putting on her 'I hate you' face.

Then Cory made the catastrophic mistake of looking away from Lily and to Sirius. His black eyes spellbound her and she felt herself slowly drifting off into a cloud nine state. _Why does he always do this me? WHY? I feel like an idiot! _Thankfully, the teacher showed up then. He was a middle-aged man with brown eyes and had great amount of energy. The Professor went by the name of Senor Sallora.

Sallora had one bad thing about him though; he clapped his hands repeatedly on every word he said. This made it very hard not to burst out laughing in class. Cory to practically grip Lily's arm to keep from laughing. Which Cory felt kind-of bad about later. But, come on, it was funny. Though one thing made class very hard and that was that the Marauders sat themselves in front of Cory and her friends. She by now had learned all their names. First there was obviously Sirius Black, then his best friend James Potter. After that there was Remus Lupin, who Lily was actually pretty good friends with, then there came the only girl in the group Flora Quinn, who would as the girls told Cory, kill you if you even thought of calling her Flora. So she went by Quinn. They were completely inseparable. And if they were apart, assume that a prank was on the way. So because of them sitting in front of Cory, Cory had an increasingly amount of trouble focusing on the potion they were making. But even that didn't stop Cory and Lily finishing the potion first in the class. Cory had always found Potions so easy, that even if Sirius was sitting directly in front of her (which he was) she still could finish.

But besides that all Cory's classes were fine and soon she had found herself through a whole week of classes. But still she had not spoken a word to Sirius. Was this how it was going to be? Were you two just going stare at each other all the time? And he did too. He stared at Cordelia often. But still...the two had still not spoken!

Though because of school getting into full-swing, she had other things on her mind. That was why she found yourself sitting in the library by herself on a Tuesday night with about five books sprawled out in front of her. Lily and Emma had prefect stuff to do so they were gone and Bethany had detention for slapping a Slytherin across the face after he grabbed her ass. So there she sat reading up on Defiance Against the Dark Arts stuff, her favorite subject. When all of a sudden the chair across from her got pulled out. You said not even looking up because you knew it would be Lily or Emma or Bethany, "Well dear Merlin, it is a bout time."

Then Cory looked up. At that moment her heart stopped. Him. There. In front of her. _Shhhhhhhiiiiiiitttttt…._ "Well... ahhh..." Cory said tring to think of something that would explain herself. She then continued, "Sorry I thought you were Lily."

He then broke into a beautiful smile and said sarcastically, "Ah yea Evans. No problem, happens all the time. We always seem to get mixed up. Like this one time-"

But Cory cut him off with a groan of embarrassment and hid her face in one of her many books. Upon seeing this he laughed. But not in a mean way. A nice, joking way. His laugh was great. It was so full of happiness and joy. She noticed that when he laughed his eyes almost squinted. So prefect! _Wait why does a cute guy always catch me in embarrassing situation!_ "No really, its fine I understand, I get it. You were reading. And I interrupted." he said and smiled.

"Well I really have to go." Cory said despreste to get away from thelibary as soon as possible. It was getting just plain embarrassing!

"Hey don't leave because of that. Oh, come on. Hey look why don't we start with introductions. I'm Sirius. Sirius Black." he said and stood up across from you. God he was tall, _He must be around 6'3_ Cory thought.

But still there was this awkwardness and she wanted to talk to Lily. She had to go talk to her. She would know hat to do because Cory sure didn't. Which was so odd. Cory was the one who always knew what to do and could solve everyone else's problems. That was when it hit her; all the girls had warmed her about this. She couldn't start flirting or anything like that with Sirius Black. He would just use her. But he didn't seem like a user. He was being nice. Even a little charming. _But isn't that how it starts?_

Then her mind kicked into play and started to devise a plan. She would play hard to get and not interested. That would show that she wasn't like other girls, which she most certainly wasn't, and that he would have to show her respect if he wanted to be with her. So that was why she turned on her heel and started to leave. She was halfway to Griffindor tower when he caught up with her. "Doesn't that make you want to tell me something."

She turned to him and kept walking up a set of stairs and said "Like what?"

"Ohh I don't know?" he said sarcastically "Maybe your name?"

however, Cory just keep walking till she was standing in front of Griffindor tower entrance and you both said the password and entered. The common room was packed. The rest of Sirius' friends were sitting in front to the fire and were all looking at the two of them. Lily was walking towards Cory and she slightly glanced over at her. Sirius was obviously getting pissed off that Cory wasn't saying anything.

She were about to put her foot of the first step when he stepped in front of her looked mightily peeved. "Tell me your name or say something! Anything don't just ignore me!"

"Fine." Cory said getting mad herself. Who the hell did he think he was? Yelling at her. Sirius obviously thought he had won this little fight thing they were having and he looked pleased with himself. Cory then continued and did as he asked and said something, "Please get the fuck out of my way Sirius Black."

And with that his jaw dropped, James and Quinn started laughing, Remus eyes nearly shot out of his head and Lily snorted in laughter obviously happy that someone had finally told Sirius Black off. Cory grabbed Lily by the wrist and semi-gently pushed a very shocked Sirius Black aside and went up stairs.


	6. Kicking Butt and Quidditch

A/N: Well hello again! I love everyone who reviewed! This chapter is dedicated to you guys for being absolutely FABULOUS! Please I beg of you, keep reviewing! It made me sooooooooooo happy when I came home today after school and checked my mail and saw that people had reviewed and messaged me! I love you all! Thank you! Thank you! Please just keep hitting that lovely little go button! Now before you all kill me, on with the story, much love padfootqueen

P.S.- Sorry about my spelling! And my awful grammar! I know I'm awful at it. Believe me I know, my friends who read my stuff tell me all the time…..thanks for the advice guys! Keep reviewing!

There had never been news that spread quicker through Hogwarts. It seemed that no one could possibly believe it. The conversations went like this:

"Holy fucking Merlin did you hear!"

"Oh about that new girl?"

"Yes, Cordelia Ash, she turned down Sirius Fucking Black! AHHH, can you believe it!"

"NO!"

And that was just one of the examples. It had become apparent to Cory that no one turned down Sirius Black. Or at least till Cory came. People just couldn't seem to grasp it. She actually told him to go away. But the weirdest thing was that it seemed that even the teachers knew. They looked at Cory different with almost a new respect. All Cory could think about was how weird it was. All she did was tell him to go away because she just wanted him to want her more. But whatever. She let people think what they wanted to. But by far the most happiest person was Lily. She couldn't stop talking about it because it meant that someone had finally stuck it to Sirius. Apparently if Cory hadn't come along she would have been waiting a long time. When ever Cory walked down the hallway people would whisper things and she wasn't dumb. She knew the were talking about her. Honestly did people think that she wouldn't notice? Though the thing that changed the most was Sirius. Since he was in practically everyone of her lessons, they were bound to see each other. And Sirius sure as anything saw her. Not only saw though. He stared at her. She could always feel his eyes into her. In Transfiguration he sat behind her and she could feel his stare. Then in Potions he would 'sneak' stares at her. Every class. All the time. His emotions were strongly expressed though his eyes, Cory learned this VERY fast. They always went from anger and hatred then they would soften to almost sad then transfer over to this wanting/ needing look. _What the fuck is going on! _Was the question that went through Cory's head constantly.

Though besides that things went on. Soon it was October and Cory was getting use to Hogwarts and felt more at home then ever. She could never really say where home was for her. A few places came to mind like back in New York, but she always was bumped from foster home to foster home, so none of those ever felt like a true home. There was always camp, but that was just for a month. But now there was Hogwarts. And there was Lily, Emma and Bethany. The four of them had formed their own little family and were always together!

Thought one day to your great happiness things took an up turn. After a perfects meeting Lily came and got Cory from the Library and they were making their way back to the tower. That was when someone went running past them and knocked Lily's books out of her hands. They both immediately got furious. They looked up to see who did it and there before them stood Snape, Bates and a guy Cory quickly learned to hate; Lucius Malfoy. The three of them stood there laughing as hatred swelled inside Cory like nothing else before. Lily just looked upset and bent down to pick up her books. Cory helped. While were down there Lily said, "Just let it go. I don't care. Don't do anything."

"But Lil-" Cory tried to protest. They were still standing there laughing.

"No. You'll just do something that will cause problems later on." Lily said and they stood up. Both of them started to walk by and start going up the stairs when Bates called after them.

"Oh look the blood traitor and the mudblood are just going to walk away." He then walked over to them, Snape and Malfoy followed. Cory and Lily still had their backs to the guys and they had stopped in their tracks.

Lily only said one word, "Go."

As quick as could be Cory whipped around and had her right fist ready. It connected very nicely with Bates cheek and nose. She then grabbed his hair and held him still as she kneed him hard in the stomach. All her kick-boxing classes were coming in handy very nicely. After she finished with Bates and left him as heap on the floor, she turned to the others. They looked absolutely terrified.

"Now listen very carefully," Cory said in a harsh, cold whisper with her eyes narrowed at them, "if you ever do that again, I swear on Lily's life that I will put you in the hospital wing so quickly you won't believe it. Get it? I'll have you breathing out of tube as well as eating out of one too. Understand?" They nodded with fear showing through their eyes. "Good. Now picture this," She said kicking Bates. "and the fuck out of our sights."

To say the sprinted would be an understatement. Though what made the whole situation perfect was what happened next. Snape and Malfoy were trying to get down the stairs that Lily and Cory had just traveled up and because of them having o carry Bates, the three of them tripped down a good half of the stairs. They two best friends burst out laughing. It was perfect!

They continued their way to the common room talking about what had just happened and they wee hysterically laughing by the time they reached the common room. Because the fall the three assholes took on the stairs had been so funny the soon found it very hard to breath.

"And-then-he-just" Lily said in-between gasps of air and did a make believe fall into Cory's arms.

"I know, I know" gasping for air as well, Cory said. Lily kept doing her imitations causing Cory to laugh harder and harder till she was doubled over and couldn't stop laughing. It was just that funny.

"Stop! Stop!" Cory said, "I- can't- hahaha- breath!" and continued laughing away. She clasped on to an open chair in the common room and kept laughing. She began to get air back into her lungs, when Lily did another falling imitation and fell onto Cory.

"OWW!" Cory yelled and push Lily to the ground jokingly. Lily yelled and laughed as her butt came slamming into the ground. Cory laughed at her best friend and then when she did an evil laugh imitation and threw her head back in laughter, Lily took advantage of her not looking and dragged Cory down to the floor as well. "OW!"

They both laughed, when suddenly Cory realized that they were being watched. The Marauders sat on the long couch facing the fire and were looking at the two with very bemused looks. At least three of them were. One Sirius Black was looking slightly annoyed. James took the first opportunity to speak "Ahhh, hey girls, what's so funny?"

Cory elbowed the still laughing Lily and she finally realized they were there. She stopped laughing right away. "Ahhh we were walking" Lily began.

"And we saw Snape, Lucius and Bates." I continued for her.

"Yea, and he knocked my books out of my hands." James got a very angry look in his eyes as Lily said this, which made Cory laugh inside.

"So naturally I got really annoyed and started thinking of all the ways I could kill the three of them." Cory said and Lily and Cory looked at each other.

Lily then picked up, "But I said that she shouldn't because I know that their just assholes and she shouldn't get detention because of them."

"Though as we started to walk away Bates stepped up and called Lily a word that I will never repeat and me a blood traitor because I don't bask in my purity."

"So then I looked at Cory and said 'go' which pretty much meant go kick the shit out of them. Which she did! It was awesome! She right hooked Bates and kneed him in the stomach it was great! Then she said to stay away or she'd put them in the hospital. Totally amazing! But then did you expect?" Lily finished and elbowed jokingly at Cory's side.

"It was fun! I must say." Cory said. James and Quinn were laughing, Remus was gazing off in distance imaging it all and then started laughing. Sirius was looking directly at Cory wearing a blank expression. But it appeared to Cory that he was doing some quick thinking though. Cory then continued with the rest of the story, "But it didn't end there!"

"What?" Quinn said her eyes widening looking as if Christmas might have come two months early. "What else happened?"

"Since they had to carry Bates, she hurt him so bad," cue a bow from Cory and claps from Remus, James and Quinn, then Lily continued, "they got a little off balance and fell down the stairs!"

Now Sirius couldn't help but laugh. All six of them started laughing. But then a sign caught Cory's eye. There was a sign on the bulletin board, which read:

Quidditch Tryouts!

This Saturday and Sunday!

Sign up now!

Cory stopped short and said "Yes!"

Lily then followed Cory's eyes and said "Oh god, here we go."

Lily knew better then anyone how intense Cory's obsession with Quidditch was. Cory turned to Lily and said, "We're doing it! Me, you Quidditch this Saturday and Sunday!"

"No. Cor, I refuse. I love you, but no. See to tryout you actually have to be good. See unlike you, I have no Quidditch talent. You on the other hand should tryout because you're amazing. I can't even fly properly! I made up my own way to fly which is so wrong! As you tell me every time we fly. But you are prefect, so should try out."

"Oh shut it Evans!" Cory said jokingly and hit her "Yes you do fly the wrong way, but you are good. But look if you don't want to, I won't make you. But I'm going to! Yaaay! I can't wait. Oh and don't ever pull that prefect bullshit on me again. You know better then anyone else that I'm not perfect."

"You play Quidditch?" James asked form the couch where he sat.

"Yea I love it!" Cory replied.

Lily spoke next, "She's probably better then you Potter. She was a fifth year captain at Pengelum."

"Lily, stop" Cory said getting embarrassed.

"Oh really? What do you play?" Sirius said entering the conversation. His tone was harsh, he was obviously still quite mad at her for publicly embarrassing him.

"I play chaser." Cory replied putting equal amounts of anger and malice into her tone as Sirius had.

"So do I." James said eyeing Sirius and Cory while he answered.

Lily spoke getting nervous "Ahhh yea, well we should be getting going. Right?"

"Fine." Cory said not breaking Sirius' gaze. The two best friends exited and went upstairs.

Meanwhile down in the common room Sirius let out a frustrated noise/yell. "God how it is that she won't go out with me! How? Why is she different? WHY! What did I do!"

With that re went up stairs to the boys dormitory. "Oh shit. It's your turn James." Remus said.

"Oh Merlin yea. Jeez oi-" but he was cut off by the sound of something breaking. "Shit he already started breaking things." with that James raced up stairs.

"Oh well" Quinn said. And the two started to laugh.


	7. Quidditch Tryouts

A/N: Hello again! I'm sorry I haven't wrote in a couple of days, but I was busy with stuff! Sorry. But do not fear! For I am here! Yay! I know I say this all the time, but thank you guys again for the wonderful reviews! I was actually quite down this week and today when I came home still in this weird funk and I saw your emails, they made me SO happy! I love you guys! But as for all you who don't review and are feeling jealous right now, I ask you this; how can I love you if you don't review? So please, I want to love you! Review! And all those who do actually review I will keep loving you. Just like you I hope you will keep loving my story! So without anymore talking, I give you, The Troubles of Being in Love with Sirius Black- Chapter 7- Quidditch Tryouts! Much Love padfootqueen!

Thunder roared. Lightening light up the sky for miles. The lake's waters were more ruff then anyone had ever seen before. Wind uprooted leaves from the ground and made mini tornados out of them. Rain cascaded down from the clouds and hit the ground with unbelievable force. And of course this was the Saturday of the Griffindor Quidditch team tryouts. Perfect. It was turning out to be one the worst possible days for Quidditch. On Saturday morning Cory lay in her bed sleeping when all of a sudden a loud crack of thunder made her spring up out of bed. She sat up on your bed and looked around trying to get your bearing and catch your breath. Panting, she collected her thoughts and knew this couldn't be from just a clap of thunder. It had to be something else. But what? Trying hard, Cory began to think about what she had just been dreaming about. It wasn't her normal dreams. He mother and father weren't in them. Neither were her abusive foster parents. What was she dreaming? She couldn't gather much of an idea of what she had been dreaming about, but one thing she did put together was this feeling she had. It wasn't a happy feeling nor was it a sad one. It was a painful one. A greater pain then she had ever felt. The feeling was almost like her insides were a bottomless hole and all the good things her life were in a blink of an sucked out. Why? She couldn't piece together though. Would this happen to her? Would all the things she loved be striped from her? Why? When? How? The very thought of having this feeling realized made her stomach churn and her head spin. But besides that feeling, that was all she had. No images. No voices. Nothing. Just pain. She concentrated and concentrated, but nothing was coming up in her head. It was useless. The feeling she had been dreaming about remained and she decided that she would try and forget about it. At that point Cory was wide-awake. She looked over at her clock on the nightstand, it read; 6:00. 6:00 in the morning. That was just plain wrong. Down her head went onto her pillow, attempting to salvage the rest off her sleep. She couldn't do it. Giving up, she made her way over to the showers. Then it hit her just as the hot water did; today was Quidditch. Quidditch tryouts were in three hours. At nine she would be flying around the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch trying to make it into the one open slot on the Griffindor Quidditch Team. For the first time she actually prayed to a force she didn't even believe in hopes of making the team. She wanted to make the team that badly. Which in a way, as Lily had told her multiple times, was quite sad. But that wasn't the only reason she wanted to make the team.

Reason number one was; Lily. Yes Lily. On the Wednesday following Sirius' and Cory's little fight, Lily and Sirius got into one too. They were all in the common room Wednesday night, them all meaning Cory, Lily, Bethany and Emma were sitting in the corner at one of the tables doing homework, when the Marauders came in. James and Flo were talking with a seven-year who was the captain of the Quidditch team while Sirius and Remus went and sat at a table right behind yours. Sirius began to glare at her over Remus' and Lily's shoulders. At this she looked up right at him. She wasn't going to back down. Since when did she ever do that? Never. She shook her head, she was so sick of him being so irritable and gave up on the starring him down and went back to her Potions essay and books. But naturally Sirius just kept on staring. Instead, Cory resisted going over there and hitting him or something of that nature, she looked up to see the Captain Alex Drummer placing another sign up sheet on the bulletin board for Quidditch tryouts. Flo and James had come back and Flo sat next to Remus and James next to Sirius. James half stood up and said over Emma and Lily's heads to Cory"Hey, if you're going to try out you better go sign up. We made a new sheet because one of our genius beaters lost it. Thanks by the way for that Siri. (Pronounced like sneer without the n sound, just explaining, my friend didn't get it)"

"It is not my fault James." Sirius replied through gritted teeth.

"Sure, thanks James." Cory got up and crossed the common room. Students were spread through out the common room in many places. Some were lying on the floor others were lying across chairs and then some were at the at the other tables like the one Cory and her friends occupied. She reached the list and noticed that on the list were a total of 8 people. Drawing in a deep breath, she wrote her name on the line then across from it the other column her year. While she was writing she could feel Sirius looking at her with anger and then slight happiness then back to anger when she turned around again to journey across the room.

Now there comes a point when there is only so much glaring and dirty looks a girl could take and Cory was at that limit. Anger fumed inside her and she stalked straight over to him. Once she was close she said to him while glaring down at him"WHAT! Do have something on my face? Do you not like the way I roll up uniform sleeves? What? What is it! Reall"

But she never finished because at that point Lily came over and dragged her back to her seat. Or at least she tried to. At that point Sirius stood up and said"Nothing! I wasn't looking at you! Don't be so conceded and don't flatter yourself."

"Oh conceded huh? Well"Cory started but Lily then broke in.

"STOP! He is not worth it! Alright"

"There go and hide behind your friend" Sirius said fiercely to Cory.

"Oh why" but Lily then took the reins again.

"Now listen, Sirius, you may not like how she might ruin your little dating game or tarnish your reputation, but you will not insult her personality. She can do fine without me, but I am doing you a favor and keeping her from kicking your ass"

At that she grabbed Cory's books and hers (because Cory was in such a state of shock to grab her own) while the other girls followed her suit and grabbed theirs too. The four of them went off with Lily leading the way and her face red in a perfect display of anger towards the girls dormitory.

"You know, I don't know why you even are bothering to try out. It's not like your going to make it. Just cause you were a Quidditch captain back at your old school doesn't mean you'll make it here." Sirius called after Cory with James by his side holding him back slightly. She turned on him but Lily got there first.

"Alright Black, I'll make a bet with you." Lily said walking up to him.

"Holy shit, you're betting, Evans? A perfect betting? What have you done to her Sirius" Flo asked in a mock-tragedy sort of way from her seat where her and Remus were watching this scene take place. Needless to say by this time the whole common room was also listening in too.

"Not now Quinn." Lily said in a raged voice, but continued"I'll bet you right now, five gaellons that she'll make it. What do you say"

A hush had fallen at that point over the common room and all that could be heard was the cracking of the fire. Sirius seemed to be thinking the bet over in his head. But then he finally made a conclusion"Alright Evans, I'll do it. But how am I going to know that you'll keep your word on this. I mean"

Cory cut him off getting mad that her best friend's honor was being put down"Lily never lies about anything, you asshole" she shouted.

"I swear on her life", Lily said pointing at Cory, "that I will if I lose, which I won't, pay you five gaellons. Now you bet on James' life."

"Fine. I swear on my best friend James Potter's life that I will pay Lily Evans 5 gaellons if I was to lose this idiot bet."

"Fine."

"Good."

"We're agreed"

"Yes."

Then with that Lily turned on her heel grabbed Cory who grabbed Emma who grabbed Bethany and the chain of them were pulled up to the girls dormitory by a very mad Lily Evans. Up in the dormitory Lily said that Cory had to make the team! She had to have the upper hand on Black. But as she said, she had no doubt in the fact that Cory would surly make the team. But, still even with Lily's reassurance and her own great Quidditch skills, Cory still had some doubts. From what everyone had said the Griffindor Team had a reputation of being amazing and to be on the team naturally you had to be amazing. So that stuck in her mind. Was she good enough? She didn't know.

She still wasn't sure even as she reached for her shampoo bottle in the showers that morning. Also the other reason she wanted to make it was, even though he made Cory awfully mad, she still wanted to spend time with Sirius. Underneath it all she still liked him. It was absolutely crazy. But it was true. He had a great enough temper as she did, which was hard to come by. Also all through during the argument Cory felt like she could have ripped his head off, but still would have loved to start making out with him on the spot. Except when he started insulting Lily. Then she wouldn't of. Sirius was on the Quidditch Team and player as a beater. From what Bethany had said, he was good. Really good. But still, he confused Cory beyond belief. He could be glaring at her in Potions then she could feel his gaze turn from anger to passion and happiness in a matter of milli-seconds. _What was with that?_ Cory often found herself thinking. But she didn't know.

Her shower ended and she went back to the sleeping area to get dressed. She glanced at her clock when back in the dormitory and it said 6:35. She had time before heading down to breakfast so she grabbed a book on Auror training she had taken out of the library for reading and went down to the common room. She sat in one of the best chairs right next to the fireplace and began reading. Cory had read maybe three pages when she heard someone coming down the stairs from the boy's dormitory. Looked up and saw a very shocked James Potter on the second o last step of the stairs. For a little bit the two just starred at each other.

"Ahhh..." James began but stopped as he and Cory heard another set of footsteps coming down the stairs.

"For the love of everything Prongs, you could have at least waited till 7:30. It's bloody seven o'clock in the morning, you moron." Came a very annoyed voice down the stairs and then a grayish-blue sweatshirt came falling down the stairs and hit then hung on James' neck and face. "Do you have any idea how tired I am? I mean"

But the voice of Sirius Black stopped his ranting at the third step from the main floor when he saw Cory. And she saw him but not just his face. He wore only a pair of jeans that hung low enough so Cory could see the rim of his read and blue boxer shorts. He was carrying a red tee shirt he was in middle of putting it on but not all the way, making his amazing chest and abdomen was _very_ visible. His eyes bulged out his sockets.

"What are you doing here" he said shocked. "James what is she doing here"

"I don't know it's not like I asked her to"

"Then how she here" they began to fight when Cory finally broke in.

"Guys, GUYS! Hello over here." Cory said gesturing to herself"I just woke up because of the weather and couldn't get back to sleep. So I came down to the common room to read for a while. Okay? It's not like I planned this. My god, now relax. We're in the same house we're allowed to be in the common room at the same time."

At the end of her little speech she rolled her eyes and continued to read but really she really couldn't read one word because they still stood there. She looked up at them as they were talking in 'hushed voices'. Their conversation went like this;

James- Did you do this?

Sirius- No! Why would I do that?

James- Oh I don't know. Maybe because you love her?

Sirius- Look, lets decide what we're going to do. All right. We have to go meet Moony and Flo(A/N; You know how the three guys have nicknames? Well, Flo is Quinn's! Okay? Great! On with the story).

James- We're going to be late because of your love for sleep. Honestly the way you are talking, your sounding it almost like your suggesting this whole thing is my fault. Hon-"

"Ah guys? I can kind-of hear you."(Cory didn't hear James say that Sirius liked her though) They both looked over at her so quickly you could have thought she said something like 'Lily grew another head and I think McGonagual isn't going to give homework for a month'.

"Ah, right well we have to go." James said.

"Yeah…" Sirius said following his best friend's lead.

"We have to"

"Right, go"

"Somewhere"

"Yea, so we'll see you later."

"At Quidditch." They said together finishing each other's sentences and continuing them as well.

"Guys" Cory said. James and Sirius still hadn't moved and they looked like two kids who were trying to get out of a punishment.

"Ah yea" they said in unison still on the steps.

"Just go." Cory said and with that they left.

The rain had lightened up, but not a lot. At least there was no more lightening or thunder, but it still rained. It was also a bit foggy, but Cory could deal with that. Cory and the eight other people stood in the tunnel of the Quidditch pitch waiting for the tryouts to begin. She had her broom over her shoulder and was excited to start flying. Alex Drummer the captain started to do roll call. But as he was doing so Cory noticed that Sirius wasn't looking menacingly at you. He was just standing there and looking at her and then occasionally saying things to Quinn or James.

"...And Cordelia Ash"

"Yea that's me." Cory said and Sirius, James and Flo all looked intently at her. Sirius put on a triumphant smile. He now knew her name. Lily had only called her Cor or Cory, but now he knew the full thing. She ignored him made her way down the tunnel with everyone else.

"Cordelia, huh" a voice said in Cory's ear. She turned and there was Sirius.

"Now everyone if you could just stretch and fly around a bit, that would be great. Okay" Alex said.

"Yea, Cordelia." Cory said and bent down to stretch her claves and back.

"I like that." he said and she mounted her broom and before he could say anything else she was up. She did it so quickly his eyes nearly bulged out of his head, for the second time that day.

"I really don't care if you like it or not, Sirius." and with that she flew off.

She, despite the bad weather, was flying perfectly. Alex had each one of them fly with him and James. Cory would be last, _Thank Merlin_ she thought. As they flew they would have the other members of the team grade them. This scared Cory greatly. She had been flying great and now she was absolutely terrified to mess up. Three or four people dropped the quaffle once or twice and Cory prayed she wouldn't be one those people. As the person before Cory landed she stepped forward. Then from the stands she heard this yelling. She looked up and there was Emma, Bethany and Lily holding signs and yelling for her. That gave Cory the confidence she needed and walked straight up to Alex and James, who were still looking in the stands with amused and surprised faces on. Alex then said"Ok, let's fly"

And with that Cory and them took off. They did a lot of difficult moves and some how, she flew perfectly. Cory couldn't have been happier with her tryout. She landed with a loud cheering song the girls made up and a smile on her face. Cory and the others were all asked to get dressed in the locker rooms then come back and get the decision. Cory changed quickly and was so nervous even though she thought she did well. The rain had stopped now and it had gotten much colder when she went back outside to the pitch. It was still very cloudy though so Cory wrapped her arms around herself in her sweatshirt. They were giving out little slips of paper saying if you made it or not and Cory was last. The guy in front of her turned and left and there left Cory looking at Sirius. He gave a little piece of parchment to her and she turned away.

The girls stood ten feet from Cory and were looking very hopeful at her. Cory slowly turned back the folded piece of paper and looked at it. She looked up at her friends not showing any of the emotions she was feeling. They came running over. They stood in front of Cory not looking at the paper. "Did you make it, Cor" Bethany asked.

"How'd you do" Emma questioned.

"Shit do I owe Black money" Lily asked annoyed. Cory slid her broom in-between her legs and shot up into the air, screaming all the way up.

"YESSSSSSSSSS" she yelled and landed. "I MADE IT" she screamed with joy.

Lily shot her fists up into the air and hugged Cory tightly. Then the other girls joined in on the hugging too. While doing this they started swaying. Soon they started chanting"We are the champions" by Queen since they all knew the lyrics well because of Lily and Cory's obsession with the band. But that was a little too much and way too embarrassing. Cory flew up again into the air a good ten feet.

"Stop." She said looking down at them and noticing that Quinn, Remus, James and Sirius were looking on with amusement. "Guys, stop. I love Queen but really."

They kept chanting but then stopped. So Cory landed and the girls hooked arms and started to make their way out. When Lily stopped. She turned and she turned the chain of them around so they all followed her over to Marauders. She stopped the chain directly in front of Sirius and said with a lot of pride"I believe you own me some money, Mr. Black? I'll take that now"


	8. Projects and the Note

A/N: Well here we are again! As most of you requested, I quickly produced another story. I hope you all enjoy this continuation of the saga between Cordelia and Sirius. I had a lot of fun writing this and I know if you liked my other ones I should say this right now to you, I am sorry and I will post chapter 9 soon! Also I must let you know that in the next chapter, half of it will be from Sirius' perspective. I'm not giving anything away so all you who are rereading this for clues, our not getting any! Sorry. As always I must confess my undying love for all those who reviewed! I just love when you people hit that lovely little button. It equals such happiness for me! Yay. So now I am sorry to say I must leave you! Not forever just so you can read my story! Please review and many thanks to those who did and those who are going to. (That means you, person reading this now.) Much Love As Always padfootqueen!

* * *

It seemed like for the rest of the week Lily gloated about how she had beaten Sirius at the bet. Lily already had ideas in her head about how she would spend it. When Cory suggested that she buy something to prank James with, Lily said, "Are you mad? I can't prank! I'm a perfect!"

Cory was extremely happy for her friend, but after a while it became down right annoying. But Cory lived on and decided not rain on her parade. After all her herself had to be pretty annoying as well. All Cory could think about was Quidditch. Honestly she couldn't have believed it. She made it! She was on the team and that was all that mattered to her. Cory was left on a loud nine state of mind for many various reasons. A- She got to play Quidditch her favorite sport of all time. B- She got to be with her new found friends; James and Quinn. And C- As pathetic as it was and as much as she didn't want to admit to liking it, she got to spend time with Sirius. Granted, yes, he was a beater, but still she could get to steal more looks over at him! And that was a major up side to the whole deal of being on the Griffindor Team. But since her mind was highly preoccupied with Quidditch and Sirius the whole time, naturally she got a little side tracked. Instead of really paying attention in Transfiguration the following Tuesday, she was completely started daydreaming. She couldn't help it if the person the person she was thinking about and daydreaming about was right in front of her! What else was she suppose to think about? So because of her lack of attention to the subject at hand, she didn't realize right away that for her next group assignment she would be working with a new partner. Meaning not Lily who she would have normally worked with.

"I can't believe she would do this to us." Lily said snapping Cory out of her latest daydream which consisted of a beach, with a certain person with black hair, who played beater and was absolutely sexy and divine.

"Wh-what? What's going on" Cory asked slightly annoyed that her sinful daydream had been interrupted.

Lily rolled her eyes as they made it past the Great hall and were making their way back to the Common room and said"You were day dreaming again! My god. That's why you didn't react right away."

"What? What do I have to react to" Cory questioned her best friend.

"You have a new partner."

"What? Your my partner" Cory said, her eyes going wide and getting peeved.

"No she's not." a new voice said entering the conversation, a voice that sounded familiar. A voice that penetrated her mind and made her want to melt into a puddle I at his feet. Or possibly at some points, rip his head off for being so annoying and irritable. Cory looked up and there stood none other then the one and only Sirius Black. Cory's face turned to anguish. Yes, even though she still adored him with every fiber of her being she didn't want to do a project with a guy who confused the hell out of her. Cory and Lily looked an each other and decided at get the hell out of there. They didn't want any arguments or hatful remarks to start becaue they knew where it would lead. Anger, breaking of objects and a lot of holding back done by both parties. They were half to Griffindor tower when he and the rest of his friends came up to the two best friends. Also, Bethany and Emma came up to them as well having just come from Ancient Ruins.

"Look we need to set up a time and place to meet and talk about the project." Sirius said in his very own voice which no one else could ever have or even imitate. But Cory just kept looking forward. Honestly, she couldn't believe McGonagual would do this to her and Lily. Spilt the two up and everything. How harsh was that?

So because at that current time, both Cory and Lily were angry and fuming inside, which wasn't a good thing, the right idea would have been for everyone to just back off. But being him normal annoying self, Sirius turned persistent and started to walk backwards so he could look Cory in the eye. He walked with perfect ease. It bugged Cory like hell how he could do this with out even looking down once.

"Look, I know this isn't ideal for you because you want to work with Lily but instead your stuck with me. To be honest with you I would rather be with Evans' partner. "

Cory turned to look at Lily. She hadn't asked Lily who her partner was. "Wait, who's your partner"

"I am." came the voice of James Potter next to Cory, now walking by her side.

"You are" Cory asked turning to look at him and then looking at Lily, knowing that on the inside she was doing the biggest happy dance ever.

"Yeah he is." Lily replied for him, finding her excitement very well.

"Okay now that is settled, Cor, why don't we decide when we are going to met" Sirius said in a slightly irritated tone. This made her look at him, only people she gave permission to could call her by her nicknames.

"Whoa, who said you could call me Cor" Cory said looking at him, he was still walking backwards and she was still in a very bad mood. They eight of them were making there way up the stairs that would take them to the tower and still he could do it. _How is he doing that!_ Cory was thinking as she made her way up the stairs.

"I did." he said in an all too 'I know all and everything' voice which pissed the hell out of her even more. And he seemed to catch on to it too. So of course he smiled his 'I'm amazing, don't you want me?' smile. Which of course she did. Want him.

"Well don't call me it." Cory said.

"God" Sirius said in a very frustrated tone, "why not"

"Because" pausing to give the fat lady the password "Pizzicato Prince" then she continued" I only let my friends call me Cor or Cory."

"Oh and we're not friends" Sirius said. Cory though he was playing around when he said it but then she looked at hi and realized he wasn't kidding. He had to be kidding.

"Ahhh let me see..." Cory said in a mock seriously thinking tone"you stare daggers at me, you don't trust my best friend's word, you said pretty much that you had no faith in my Quidditch skills oh and yea, you bet against me."

By this time they had all reached the girls dormitory. Remus and Quinn were sitting on the couch and Cory noticed that Flo was tucked safely in Remus' arms. This translated to the fact that finally the two had wised up and realized they were perfect for each other. But James still stayed at Sirius' side being the good best friend that he was. Also he could have just been there to hold Sirius back… Cory wasn't sure. Bethany and Emma headed up or more Emma dragged Bethany up the stairs to try and give Cory and Sirius some time alone. Which in a way Sirius and Cory should never be left alone. One of them in matter of five minutes would end up dead. Or possibly they would start making out…Another matter Cory couldn't be sure of. Lily stayed and stood on the first step waiting for Cor to join her. But then James asked Cory"Can I call you Cor or Cory"

This was simply too perfect to pass up. Yes, Cory really liked Sirius it was just too much fun pissing him off. So she said"Sure James." She paused then looked at Sirius but was still talking to James, "Sure you can."

Sirius' jaw dropped open and then he glared at his best friend. Cory did a little humph/laugh and went up the stairs, with Lily leading the way.

Later on that night Cory and Lily went back down stairs to the common room to finish up some of the last bits of their homework. Soon after them Bethany and Emma came down too and sat with them. Cory and Bethany were finishing up, while Lily and Emma was still hard at work making sure everything was absolutely perfect when Cory noticed a shadow fall over her book. She looked down at the shoes and slowly made her way up the persons body. Finally she reached the face. James Potter looked down upon Cory and said in a friendly tone"Hey friend."

He then reached out his hand and on which was a piece of parchment. Cory took it and then he walked away. Lily's face shot up"What does that say"

"I don't know. I'll read it then give it to you." Cory took a deep breath thinking she knew exactly who it was from already. Inside it read;

Be at the pitch at 9:30.

That was it. She looked across at the Marauders, but they were all in a deep conversation and were hunched over a couple of spell books and a big piece of parchment. No answers coming from there. She slipped the paper over to Lily and acted like nothing was going on. Cory pretended to keep reading while really keeping her eyes on Lily for her reaction. She was rereading and rereading the note. She finally looked up and without a word got up and so did Cory. The two friends gathered their books and both headed upstairs.

"What is this about" Lily asked Cory once inside the dormitory and checking to see if any of the other girls were there. None. Perfect. Lily and Cory, when ever they had something serious to discuss, preferred there to be no one else present.

"I don't know. What do you think" Cory replied to her best friend and then questioned her.

"I'm not sure..." Lily said and trailed off into deep in thought as Cory did as well. Was it really from James? If it was, what could he want? Why didn't he just ask to talk to Cory alone or something? All this and a lot more questions swirled around in her head.

"I don't think it's from James." Cory said finally after five minutes.

"What? Then who is it from" Lily questioned her coming over and sitting on Cory's bed with her. In truth Cory had a thought; Sirius. But that was her heart's desire talking not her brain. Even though he made her mad and she acted like she hated him. She did still, despite what She wanted, and were strongly attracted to him.

Damn her brain. She cleared her throat and responded. "Sirius."

"WHAT" Lily yelled and snapped up off of Cory's bed staring down at her best friend.

"Calm down, Lily. Jeez it's just a thought. I'm not sure, just guessing. He can never leave anything alone."

It was true. He never could. "Yeah that's sure a fact... but why didn't he just come and talk to you"

Cory said"He probably didn't want everyone in the house to know that he was actually speaking kindly to me."

"Maybe...are you going to go"

"I'm not sure...what do you think I should do" She figured she might as wel ask her best friend. Also it was good to ask someone especially because Cory had no idea what to do herself.

"Well. As much as of a jerk he can be, Sirius isn't someone to rape you or anything, so we won't have to worry about that kind of stuff. But in terms of one of you coming back alive if you two get into a fight or something is something we have to worry about." she said as sat back down at the end of Cory's bed and folded her legs Indian style.

"Very true. But it still couldn't be him..." Cory said stating her greatest fear out loud.

"I think it's him Cor. I really do. You know what? Go. Go and see what happens."

Cory thought about this. _Do I want to go? Yes. But what if it wasn't him? Only one way to find out_, she thought. "Okay I think I'll go."

"Good." Lily said with a smile on her face.

"Yeah, what's the worst that could happen"

"Well. You could kill him or you could fall in love with him..." Lily said and started to think about things.

"Rhetorical comment Lily" Cory said throwing a pillow at her, which she ignored.

"In a few days I could neither be wearing black for a funeral and comforting James while you sit in Azkaban for murder or I could be planning out your wedding..." she continued.

"LILY..."Cory said warningly.

But she kept going"Either way James is involved so..."

That was enough Cory practically jumped her but she got away and ran down to the common room. No one was there, or so they thought, and the two figured everyone had all went to dinner. Cory chased her best friend around a bit, and then finally took out her wand and Lily did too. Both girls were laughing quite hard as Cory pretended to threaten her. "I swear-laugh-I will-laugh-hurt-laugh-you, Lily Evans"

"Oh really-Laugh- Well bring it on, Ash-laugh-. I can-laugh- take you"

They both composed themselves and looked around the common room. Over Lily's shoulder Cory saw four pairs of eyes looking at them. Lily noticed where Cory was looking and tuned around. It was naturally the Marauders. Who else would stay in an empty common room at night?

"Oh god." Cory murmured and looked at Lily who was still staring at them. Cory couold sense how awfully embarrassed Lily was so she said"Ah Lils lets go, or I'll die of starvation. Come on."

She looked at her and nodded and the two practically sprinted out of the common room. Once outside and the had gone down a couple of hallways, Lily stopped and leaned up against a wall and groaned in embarrassment.

"Lils just relax. Okay? Lets just go to dinner. It'll be fine, if you want tonight when I go to see either Sirius or some random person, I'll make up some random lie. Okay"

She had her eyes closed and had her headed turned up towards the ceiling. She opened her eyes and put on a half smile and spoke to Cory"But then that'd make you look like some psycho..."

Cory pulled her off the wall and put an arm around Lily's shoulders and started walking towards the great hall for dinner. "I have a news flash for you Lils, they probably already think I'm a psycho."

Lily laughed at this and they headed towards dinner. Once in the Great Hall they made their way over to the Griffindor table and sat down. They ate and starting having funny conversations about anything that wanted. But even if the mood of the table was fun, Cory was caught in her own thoughts. Even while she was eating and half contributing to a conversation she was having with Emma, Bethany and Lily, her mind was on other things. _Is it really him I'm meeting tonight? What if it isn't? What if it's some random person?_ She wasn't sure. There were so many things that tumbled though her mind that before she knew it they were all on their way back to the common room. With every step she took she thought of what could happen. It plagued her. Finally they were back in the common room and it was 8:45. None of the Marauders were back yet from dinner where she had last seen them. This slightly worried her. Also it made her a little happy. It could be Sirius then. She looked at Lily, if she was going to go then she would have to go now. Lily nodded her head with encouragement and Cory slowly got up from the chair in which she was sitting in. Cory made her way over to the portrait before turning around one last time to look at Lily. Lily smiled at her and gave Cory thumbs up. Corny, but it made Cory smile and she knew that was what Lily had been going for. And with that, Cory stepped out of portrait hole and faced the fat lady.

"What's the worst that could happen?" Cory said to the fat lady but more to herself. Turning she left to go met her mysterious person.


	9. A poem and a match

A/N; Ahhh, yes we meet again! SO glad to have you. Here we go! Here is the much demanded chapter nine! I hope you enjoy it. I'll get ten up very soon so do not worry. Thanks and love to all those who reviewed. But see I would love to have just one or two consistent reviewers! That would rox. Thanks again. Happy Super Bowl! Much Love As Always padfootqueen

* * *

This was just plain weird. Cory's stomach was doing flips. Yes, flips. She couldn't believe it. Her stomach was actually doing flips. Just like in all those books she had read in a magazines of girls pouring their hearts out and saying that their stomach was going crazy. And that was what was happening to her. This was crazy. Since when did she get this freaked out? But still it continued flipping up and down as she made her way down a hallway that would lea her to the Great Hall where all she would have to do from there was head out the main doors. If it was such a simple task to do, then why was she so freaked out? Cory hugged close to the walls of the hallway scared that someone might see her. As she went by she relieved many weird glances from the painting that hung all over Hogwarts. It wasn't her fault she had to stay so close to the walls, if anyone caught her out, she would be back in the common room faster then you could say Quidditch. And that was not going to happen. Cory was not going to sit in the common room while this mystery person was out there on the Quidditch pitch waiting for her. Her curiosity would kill her if she just say there. And what if it was Sirius waiting for her out there and took it as a sign that she didn't care anymore? She had to get there and she would get there. Not Filch or Mrs. Norris or anyone else was going to stop her. She simply had to get there and fast too. She was already almost late. Something Cory hated to be. She didn't mind being a little late to classes, but when it came to things like this, she liked to be on time. Soon she had reached the Great Hall. She hung a left and headed for the doors. Slowly because the door was heavy and she didn't want to make to much noise, Cory inched the main door open and the cold air hit her face.

It was already the beginning of December and it was cold outside. She hugged her arms and pulled her Hogwarts robes closed in front of her. She turned and headed down one of the paths that would take her to the pitch. Gradually, she started to realize something. On the ground every now and again, were red rose petals. They dotted the path and slowly became more frequent as Cory made her way closer to the pitch. A smile started to form on her face. This was so romantic. Whoever it was that had James give her that note really cared about her going there tonight. But still the negative side of Cory's head kept saying, _It might not be for me. It could just be a mistake, James could have made a mistake and given me that note when really it was for someone else. _This suck in Cory's mind. Finally, she reached the pitch and hesitated before going in. What if this was all a mistake? What if this was joke? Could James be that cruel? _No._ Cory's mind told her. Shoving the bad thoughts out of her head, Cory made her way inside.

(A/N; Now this is where we switch to Sirius' persective. I wrote like Sirius is telling you the story! Alright? Great! On we go.)

"She's not going to come. This was so stupid what was I thinking" I asked James.

"Relax Padfoot, she'll come. She'll come. Cory is too curious not to." James responded to me.

I couldn't help but feel that she wouldn't come. The girl was so unpredictable! She wasn't like any other girls I had ever been interested in before. She resisted when other girls would have given in. She bent when other girls would have broken. She was absolutely, no matter how much I didn't want to admit even to myself, perfect. That was why I was mad at her and then at the same time in love with her. She made me think. I thought I had know all about women. I thought I knew how to charm any girl into loving me. I thought I knew how their minds worked. What made them smile and give in. But then Cory had to come to Hogwarts and change that. She messed with my mind like you can't believe, by doing the simplest things! The way she talked and walked. The way she smiled or the way she laughed. Even the face she makes before she scores a goal in Quidditch. She could throw me off for a whole week. And now she was going to mess with me even more. She wasn't going to come.

For the forth time that night I looked at my watch; 9:32.

"She's late. She's not coming. Let's leave." I said giving in to my oblivious defeat.

"No way in hell, Sirius! You made me give her that note" james said getting peeved.

"Which you gladly did. You got to be in a five-foot radius with the love of your life. I did you a favor." I interrupted my best friend.

"Not the point Sirius. You made me come out there with you and by the way my ass is freezing from sitting on my broom for so long with out moving. So, my dear annoying best friend, we are going to wait until she shows up and takes it. Okay? Good."

One thing I could agree with James on was that it was freezing. The two of us were sitting on our brooms high above the ground hidden in the shadow of one of the high sitting bleachers, with a perfect view of midfield where Cory had to go. I started to look down at my watch again when James grabbed my arm. I looked at him then I saw where he was looking. I followed his gaze And there on the field was a figure. She'd came.

(A/N; Alright no more Sirius! Sorry to all those who liked it.) _What if no ones here?_ Cory thought for the millionth time? Or what if it really is some kind of joke? No. James was a conceded prick sometimes, but he wasn't cruel she reminded herself again. Or at least she hoped he wasn't. Down the tunnel she journeyed. Slowly, she reached the end of it.

Her heart sank. No one was there. Cory looked around. No one. But then she noticed something. The rose petals didn't end at the end of the tunnel path. They kept going to midfield. She looked over at midfield and noticed there was something there. She walked out towards midfield. The pitch was a little creepy at night Cory noted. Darkness hung like a blanket and if it hadn't been for the quarter moon's light, the darkness would have swallowed her. As she came up to midfield, she realized what was out there. A full rose and a note. She reached down and picked up the rose and the attached note. With trembling and blue fingers(because of the cold) fingers she unfolded the note and read it. The note went like this:

It almost seems like a mean fate,

that I have met you so very late.

But I think you should know,

I think your perfect in everyway even to your last toe.

All we seem to do is fight,

when I only wish to just hold you tight.

I always seem to stare,

but now I just don't seem to care.

I wish could be with you,

to hold you and to kiss you.

I will always belong to you,

because I am truly in love with you.

Cordelia's heart jumped. That was all it said on the note and she looked up from the parchment and looked around hoping to see who the writer was. But Cory saw no one. She carefully lifted the rose to her nose and inhaled it's beautiful fragrance. It sent her insides wild, because she knew who it was from. Who did she always fight with? Who always stared at her? Now all she had to do was confront him on it.

Rain. Again. How could this happen? It was freezing last night! For Cory's first Quidditch match it was raining. On tryouts-rain. Now your first game-rain! It was now two days after Sirius had sent Cory that note. And now she knew it was from Sirius.

That night she came to the common room and told Lily everything. But at the end of her retelling she said how still she wasn't quite sure if it was Sirius or not. But Lily's logic came into play then and Cory thanked Merlin that she was blessed with such a genius best friend.

"You said rose petals were all over the ground" Lily asked her best friend and stopped pacing like she had been during the whole story.

"Yeah. Red rose petals. Why" Cory had no idea where Lily as going this but still listened closely.

"After you left, Quinn and Remus came back to the common room and I saw hanging out of Remus' bag a bag of red rose petals. I bet you he helped Sirius set it all up. It all fits. It can't be Remus who's doing it because I saw him and Quinn making out about ten minutes ago on the couch. So they're together and Sirius wants to be with you and he had his friend's help him set up everything! Oh I am good" Lily said and plopped herself down on her back on Cory's bed, breathing in deep breaths in an attempt to catch her breath.

"Yes you most certainly are" Cory said congratulating her best friend.

For the rest of that night Cory and Lily talked about how Cory would go on acting like she didn't know Sirius liked her. Or actually loved her like it said in her note. But then after the first Quidditch game this Saturday afternoon was over, Cory would tell him that you liked him too. Or as she was learning, loved him. When they were on opposite sides of the room she felt like he should be instead right next to her. So now, finally, Saturday afternoon was here. And it was teeming rain outside. Thunder and lightening were in the sky and didn't look like they were stopping any time soon. But she wasn't going to let the rain bring her down. It was her first Quidditch game at Hogwarts and she was so excited. She couldn't wait till she could get out there and play. Cory got dressed and her, Lily, Emma and Bethany made their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Even though she was excited, Cory was still scared that she would mess up and be ruined.

Lily seemed to sense this and said to her as they sat down at breakfast"Cor, don't worry. You have never lost a single Quidditch match in your life. You're not about to start now. You are going to do great and me and girls will be in stands cheering you on"

Cory felt a little better and then that was when James came over to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"It's time. Let's go." he said and put a smile on his face. Cory nodded and waved to the rest of the girls. They, Cory, Sirius, James and Quinn, lift the Great Hall together and made they way out to the Quidditch pitch. Cory and Quinn went to the girl's changing rooms and put on their robes. Cory and Quinn started to tie their shoe laces, when Quinn said to Cory. "You nervous?"

"Yea." Cory said nodding her head.

Quinn got up, having her shoes tied and smiled down at Cory. She said kindly, "Look, don't worry. As long as you do your best then there won't be a problem. You'll do fine if you fly like did at the tryout and the practices. Just don't think about your worries. Think about those Slytherin's faces after kick the crap out of them. Ok?"

Cory laughed at Quinn's cool sense of humor that matched hers well and the two friends left the changing rooms. They went down the tunnel to where the guys were standing waiting for them. Their first match was against Slytherin. Cory wanted to win so badly it made her ache. They all stood in silence as the echoes of the crowds bellowed above them and Alex give his last minute pep talk. "This is our first game. Let's show them what we can do. Let's put fear into those conceded Slytherin's. Let's show them what we're really made of! Let's win"

With that and feeling like her breakfast was about to come right back up, Cory and the rest of the team made their way outside. The crowd yelled and cheered harder and the game started quickly. Griffindor took the lead very quickly too. Soon Cory had scored twice and James and Alex each once. It seemed that the Slytherin beaters we're really trying to aim for Cory. This sort of for a few moments unnerved her. But then she quickly shook off the feeling. She wasn't going to let them have the joy of scaring her. She kept on playing as hard as she could. The rain was still pouring down hard and the crowd was yelling and screaming for all of the team loudly too.

Cory managed to intercept a Slytherin pass and was left completely alone. Alex and James were too far behind her and the Slytherin chasers were too close to her. She flew down field and went one on one with the keeper.

"Ash is speeding down field. Oh wow she is really flying. She's getting closer. She's going one on one. And she... and she SCORES! A hat-trick for Ash"

Then it all happened so quickly but for some it was happening in slow motion. The Slytherin beater to Cory's right took aim but she didn't see. He pounded the ball and it took its course directly for her.

Sirius over the loud cheering yelled"CORDELIA! NO"

Cory looked over at Sirius in confusion as why he was sounding scared. He flew as fast as he could towards her and sprawled off his broom trying to have his body get hit instead of hers. But he missed.

"SIRIUS" Cory screamed at the terror before her. Trhe man she loved was tumbling down to the ground. Cory felt like part of her was breaking. She would have done anything for Sirius not be falling. But it was useless. The bludger then came straight at her and hit her with a strong force in her lower abdomen. Cory screamed then clenched her teeth while gripping her stomach. That was when another bludger came from behind her and hit her in the back of her head, hard. Gripping her stomach and her eyes starting to fill up with tears, she slowly fell forward and rolled off her broom. She was plummeting faster and faster to the ground. She passed out. But her body kept cascading down to the earth with the rain.


	10. They're with who!

A/N: Hello! Sorry I haven't updated in a while I had some stuff I had to do and it dominated my time! Sorry. But here it is the chapter ten that I really love. I warn you all now that some parts might gross you out, but don't worry things will get better! Oh just a not to some people; I know that Lily and Marauders were born in 1960 in the books, but in my story for my own reasons and for things later on in the story I am making them be born in 1970. Alright now that that is all squared away, on with the story! Please remember to review! This is dedicated to all the awesomely cool people that have reviewed me! I LOVE YOU ALL! YAY! Please just hit that little button! It's right at the bottom! Come on you know you want to….(I thought I would try some peer pressure) everyone's doing it….okay maybe only 26 people but, you know what I mean! Love always, padfootqueen!

* * *

Rain continued to pour unwaveringly. Screaming rang through the stadium. The whole crowd was motionless except for Lily and Remus who were sprinting down the stairs to the pitch. In the middle of the Slytherin side of the field laid two motionless bodies. Sirius Black lay still on his chest with blood flowing from a cut on his arm. Next to him laid Cordelia Ash with back on the ground. The rain was pouring all over them and the mud was seeping into their clothes. Quinn and James landed along with the other Griffindor players. But Quinn and James sprinted over to Cory and Sirius while the others were too scared to see how bad of shape their beater and chaser were. James started screaming for help but the roar of the winds and rain drowned his voice out. Madame Hooch landed and ran over as well. She looked at Quinn and what was in her hand along with the two motionless bodies that lay broken on the ground. She blew her whistle signaling the end of the match. In Quinn's hand was the golden snitch.

Griffindor won. But it didn't feel like it. The Slytherin's were happy. And the Griffindors were scared and angry. All the voices were silent though on the field now except for one. Lily came sprinting past Professor Sallora who had been trying to hold her back. She ran towards the coward along with Remus close behind her. When she finally reached her best friend, she fell to her knees and was hysterically crying.

She turned to James who was next to her and asked"She's going to be alright, right? Why isn't she awake yet? She should wake up! Why isn't she waking up"

Then at that point she just broke down completely. James, who had been close to tears as well after watching his best friend fall 20 feet or so, said"She'll be o-okay Lily. Just wait."

It didn't help or have any effect at all. Lily continued to cry. Just then Dumbledore came over and asked for Lily to please remove herself from Cory's body so she could be taken to the hospital wing.

"NO" she screamed but after a few smoothing words from Dumbledore she lifted herself just barely.

Lily was now covered in mud and rain had completely drenched her. She sat still on the ground as Cory's and Sirius' bodies were taken off to the hospital wing.

"Lily lets go."

She looked up and saw that James was still there on his knees next to her. Remus, Quinn and all the others already left to go to the hospital wing, but he had stayed.

"Why? I want to know why, James" she said between broken sobs and attempts to speak properly. Though she was crying, anger was still present in Lily's voice. Her best friend was injured like she would never have wanted to dream possible and inside her, her emotions were swirling around like a Ferris Wheel in over drive.

"I don't know why Lily...it just happened."

James clearly ready to break down himself. His best friend, the closest thing he had to a brother was in pretty bad shape. Not as bad as Cory because she got two bludgers straight into her, but still pretty bad. James was staring off in the distance as if still trying gasp the concept of what had just happened. He didn't want to believe that what he had just saw really happened. Because of his lack of attention he didn't' notice that Lily was looking right at him. She then did something very un-Lily like. She just clasped onto James. James looked down at the sobbing Lily on his chest. He then realized he wasn't dreaming and quickly hugged her close. He stroked her hair and whisper to her that it would be all right. That Cory would eventually wake up. James slowly got up and even then Lily didn't break out of his hold. She just gripped him tighter and they made their way towards the school and to the hospital wing.

* * *

Cordelia's head killed. Along with every other part of her body. Slowly her senses started to return to her. She could hear some one crying softly and a few people talking. Slowly, Cory opened her eyes. But she shut them and then opened them many times before everything came into focus and the brightness of the lights weren't so blinding. Lily screamed and lunged her body at Cory. She as holing on to Cory so tight that her air supple started to run low. "Ah….ahhh...Lily."

Lily pulled back and she was crying even harder, but some how she managed to speak"Don't you ever do that again, Cordelia Patience Ash. Don't you ever."

"Lily, I didn't ask for this to happen."

"I know, I know. But... you just scared me so bad." Lily said and she hugged Cory again.

"Oh wow.." Cory said and started to feel really dizzy.

"WHAT! What is it"

"Ahhh nothing. Don't worry." Cory lied. She didn't want to scare her best friend anymore then she already had.

Then shadows fell over Cory's bed. The two friends looked to see Quinn, Remus, James and Sirius there at the left corner of Cory's bed.

Sirius looked at Cory intently and seemed to have a worried look in his eyes. He asked her"Hey, are you ok"

"Peachy." Cory said then continued in a dazed voice, "Actually.."

But she couldn't finish. Everything started to spin. She felt Lily grab her body but Cory still swayed. Slowly she, yet again faded into darkness. The last thing Cory saw was Sirius' eyes widen and him reach for Cory as well with a scared look on his handsome face.

This time when Cory opened her eyes Lily was gone. She was facing the right side of the hospital wing and she slowly turned onto her back. There sat in four chairs; Remus, Quinn and James.

"Wh-what? What? Where's Lily"

James pointed over Lily's shoulder and there on one of the hospital bed's laid Lily. Cory's heart jumped. "What's wrong with her"

"Calm down, Cory. She just passed out after you did. Its ok. She's fine." Quinn said in a reassuring voice.

Cory looked at the people in front of her. Something was off. Why were they with her instead of with Sirius"Oh...so, not that I don't mind or anything...but..."

"What are we doing here" Remus finished for her.

"Ah yea..." Cory said.

James, who looked a little sick and quite annoyed, jabbed his thumb over his right shoulder. All four of them turned to see what he was pointing to.

And there was Sirius. But he wasn't alone. Ann. Lily's friend that was absolutely obsessed with. _What is she doing there?_ Cory thought as anger burned up inside. She then looked a little closer. Her hand. Ann's hand. It was on his. Her hand was on Sirius hand. And Sirius wasn't protesting at all... _what in the name of Merlin is going on here?_ Cory looked away and looked at the three of her friends that sat in front of her. At the same time the three of them turned back to Cory and in unison twitched.

"Okay now when did that happen" Cory asked hurt but more annoyed.

"It's actually just happening now..." James said and then twitched again. This would have been funny if the guy who Cory was currently in love with wasn't holding another girl's hand. _How could he?_ _He's suppose to be in love with me?_ _What was that whole Quidditch love letter thing about then? Why is he doing this?_ She then remembered that before she fell and passed out, that he had tried to take the bludger for her. He yelled her name. _What the fuck is going on?_

"Yea I know." Cory looked up and saw Quinn looking at her shaking her head. she continued. "It's gross."

The guys and Cory all nodded there heads and all four of them twitched at the same time.

"How the fuck could he" Cory screamed at Lily. It was now two days after the Quidditch disaster and both of them had been cleared from the hospital. Cory was given pills to take so the pain wouldn't be more then she could take and Lily was just told to relax and not worry about Cory so much. They both currently were sitting, well Lily was sitting. Cordelia Ash stood in front of her best friend and was ranting while ever now and again to show just how mad she was or to put emphasis on something, was jumping up and down. They both were in their dorm room drinking two bottles of butterbeer Cory had gotten as 'A Get Well Soon!' present from one of her many new male admirers.

"I don't know, Cory. But it's just plain wrong and mean" Lily answered to a pacing Cory. "You should back get at him..." Lily said aloud but mostly to herself.

Cory stopped pacing. Sirius had hurt her so bad and made her so mad as well. She did have to get revenge. But how?

"Wait. Whoa. I know that look. Cordelia Ash, what are thinking" Lily said sounding interested and a little scared.

"Lily, Sirius is hurting me, he is making me very mad! I need to get revenge."

Everyone always saw Lily as this perfect person, but she had a side not many people get to see, her other side. Her bad side. She never would do anything really bad per say but she could use her mind for good or evil when she wanted to. And when it came to situations like this one where Cory needed another intelligent mind, there was no other mind Cory wanted but Lily's.

"What do you want to do" she asked interested and with a growing smile on her face.

"I'll just do what he did to me... who does Sirius hate"

"Wait do you hate Ann" Lily questioned.

"Well I don't really know her. But she is stealing Sirius from me"

"Right. Good point. Okay...well Snape and Malfoy... wait what are you thinking... your not going to... Cory"

But Cory had already left. She were halfway down the stairs before Lily stopped her. "Cory what are you thinking"

"I am going to seduce and date Lucius Malfoy." Cory said it simply and Lily's mouth dropped open.

"WHAT" she yelled and dragged Cory quite literally up the stairs back to the dorm room.

"Your kidding right" Lily said with a smile on her face as if she thought Cory was joking.

"No. Lily I'm not. No one hurts me and gets away with it. He has fucked with my feelings and now I'm going to fuck with him. But not in a way he would like. I don't care if it's gross dating Lucius. He's not awful looking even though he's a evil little prick. But the important thing is that my point will get across. Sirius has made me suffer. Now he will suffer too god damn it" By then she was screaming and Lily, when Cory had finished, just sat on her bed and stared her best friend.

Cory's butterbeer had mostly spattered across the floor at this point and she was breathing heavily now as well. Cory stared at Lily. Her voice was aching because of how loud she was yelling. She was starting to wish Lily would say something.

"Okay." she said and got up. "Okay." She repeated now shaking her head up and down. "Yea... he deserves this." Lily continued and crossed to her best friend.

She said with power and vengeance in her voice only three words that pretty summed up the plan"Fuck Sirius Black"

Cory nodded her head like she was and repeated the same words as Lily"Fuck Sirius Black."

And with that Lily raised her butterbeer bottle and so did Cory. Their bottles clicked and they both downed the rest of their butterbeers.

"Now." Cory said"Let Operation Fuck Sirius Black begin"

"Oh hell yes" Lily yelled in response.

They both started to yell and cheer in excitement.

"Wait but how" Lily asked once the screaming had stopped. Cory got a twinkle in her eye as she remembered something that had caught her eye on the way up to the common room before. She grabbed Lily's wrist and lead her downstairs to the common room. Cory went straight up to the announcement bored and pointed to a bright sign that was posted. It read;

"First Hogsmeade Trip! This weekend"

"Ohh..." Lily said and smiled.

"Now Lucius started to flirt with me in our potions class last week right"

"Yea." Lily said and laughed as she remembered how quickly Cory had shut him down.

"Well, we know that he is interested. Now all I have to do is respond with a little of my known flirting."

The plan was set. In the next five days before the Hogsmeade weekend Cory had flirted and left Lucius Malfoy on cloud nine. He was absolutely a Slytherin. He was at first so shocked that she was talking to him but then he recovered and asked her out. Cory and Lucius were now officially a couple. It was little weird for her but she had to do what she had to do. Sirius did it to himself. He deserved this.

It was absolutely freezing that weekend. It was one week to Christmas and all that rain she had been getting was now turning into snow. It was snowing when you left that morning. She got out of bed and was so excited when she looked outside and saw that snow was all over the ground. She got Lily up and the two got dressed in a hurry. Cory threw on a faded blue sweatshirt that said "Maggie's Surf Shop" on it. Cory had worked in Maggie's Surf Shop since she was about ten and missed it more then any other thing that was back in New York. She threw her hair into a bun and put on an old pair of jeans that fit her in all the right places and her and Lily ran down to the common room. Quinn, Remus, James and Sirius were all in the common room already but Cory didn't stop to talk. She just kept running. One of the things she loved the most was snow. The look of it could calm Cory in an instant. Everything about it made her feel just so good. Lily ran after Cory but Cory was faster and a good 50 feet away. The Marauders took up running after Cory as well.

James asked Lily once he was next to her in between breathes"Where- are you- going"

All four looked at Lily for an answer. "Cory- loves snow- more then anything- she was to excited- and had to go see it."

Sirius then sped up. He was really fast. He caught up to Cory quickly.

"Hey." he said and Cory didn't even look at him. He was looking at her and didn't say another thing. He then looked forward and the two just kept running. Then Cory stopped. She wasn't even panting and neither was Sirius. She just stood in the courtyard. The snow was falling on her and she was too over joyed(A/N: Okay yea I know it's not a word but just roll with it okay? Good! I knew I liked you!) to believe it. Sirius stood next to her and they both just stared at the sight before them.

It would have been perfect if not at that point, Ann came into the picture. She ran over to Sirius and slid her arm around his waist. He looked at Cory and she looked him. Cory could feel hot tears threaten to fall so she turned quickly and left. Cory broke into a sprint towards the common room. _Why is he doing this? What does Ann have that I don't? Why was I so easy for him to just cast aside?_ Tears welled up in her eyes and they started to fall as she ran by Lily, James, Remus and Quinn.

"Cory" Lily asked as she ran by. But Cory couldn't stop. She just kept going. By the time Cory was in Hogsmeade, her tears had been replaced with anger. Cory was so mad. She needed some sort of revenge. She was in bad chick mod. Cory felt want to do something dangerous. She craved to go to the edge. There was a burning fire corrupting her insides and it showed.

Lily and Cory went to Hogsmeade where Lily then left Cory to go find James. They actually had a date. Cory couldn't believe that was happening in this life time. But, hey, a lot of things that she thought wouldn't happen, happened anyways. So this seemed normal. Cory was walking down a street when all of a sudden a pair of arms wrapped around her waist.

A seductive voice drawled though her ears"Hello Gorgeous."

Then kisses graced her neck. It was Lucius. She was so intoxicated with anger that she actually melted back into his arms and pressed his head down to deepened his kisses. He then turned her to face him. Cory took hold of one of his hands and lead him to alleyway in-between two stores. She pressed him against the wall and the two started to make out. His tongue entered her mouth and his kisses were intensely rough. He switched the positions and put Cory against the wall. He lefted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist and then his hand went to her inner thigh and she had to draw the line there. She pushed against his chest and he lowered her to the ground with an 'what's wrong?' expression on his face. Cory raised an eyebrow at him.

"Not yet." Cory said in a stern voice.

"Fine. Lets go to Honeydukes." he suggested.

That was where Lily and James were probably and where there was James there was somewhere close by Sirius. Yes. That would be perfect.

"Sure. Let's go." With that Cory and Lucius left the alleyway and headed to Honeydukes. Upon entering the bar, Cory and Lucius went and sat at a table together in the corner. She and him were having a conversation that actually wasn't that awful or annoying about a transfiguration essay, when the door opened and in walked Sirius. He stopped at the door and looked at what he saw. At one corner were his best friends and Lily Evans. And at the other one was Cory and Lucius. Cory could feel him looking at her but she refused to look. She just kept looking at Lucius and tried to keep up with the conversation they were having.

Sirius went straight to Lily and James' table. He threw his cloak on a hook and looked to his friends.

"Can someone please tell me what the hell is going on"

"Please don't remind us Sirius..." Flo said and trailed off looking as if she was ready to hurl on the spot.

He all of a sudden felt someone looking at him with heated eyes. It was Lily.

"Lily can you please tell me what Cordelia is doing Lucius and why you are glaring at me" Sirius said.

"She's with him now. He asked her out and she said yes. She really likes him. He's literally all she talks about. It's so sweet" Lily said putting emphasis on the last few words. Of course Lily was lying. Cory had actually talked about Sirius the whole time and gagged when she would tell Lily what Lucius and her did together. Sirius couldn't believe this. _How could she do this!_ Sirius asked himself. Lily had obviously had enough of this and excused herself to go to the restroom.

"Okay now what is going on" Sirius asked his friends again.

"She's been laughing her head off with him. And oh...wow…ahhh...look at that..." Remus began but stopped as he looked as if he was going to gag. Sirius turned around and saw Cordelia completely making out with Lucius. Lucius Malfoy. _What in the name of fucking Merlin is she doing!_ Sirius thought. He felt as though he was going to throw up. Also he felt like beating the shit out of Malfoy. But the dominant emotion was pain. Pain of hurting. Pain of betray.

"How could she not know I'm crazy about her..." Sirius pondered out loud.

"Maybe it's because you in her eyes are seen to with Ann and she's trying to make you jealous." Quinn said. All the males at the table turned to look at her. "What? Oh come on it's obvious...my god you all are so THICK"

Sirius seemed to be doing some very quick thinking and then he came to a conclusion. "Fine. Fine. She wants to play it like that. Make me jealous. Fine. Well two can play at that game Cordelia Ash."

"Or you could just tell her the truth, that you love her and that your not with Ann and you want to have a lot sex with her" James suggested so how with a straight face.

"No." Sirius said and then added on a second thought, "But yes to that sex part. She wants to make me jealous. She wants to test my temper. Well I'm going to test hers."

And with that he slammed fist down on the table. From behind them they could hear people approaching. He turned and there was Lily talking to Cordelia. But they weren't' alone. Malfoy had his arm wrapped tightly around Cordelia's waist and she seemed to be enjoying it. Cordelia was leaning against his chest and they walked in unison like some old time lovers. Then a thought came to Sirius, _They look like lovers…Oh fucking Merlin, did they have sex!_ (A/N: Okay now don't freak out! No, Cory and Lucius have not had sex yet! Don't worry)

"... Then I'll see you both later." Lily said and sat back down next to James.

Sirius couldn't take it. Cordelia waved to them with a happy smile on her face and turned to leave.

Sirius was at the end of his sanity. Visions of Lucius doing things to _his_ Cory made him burn with rage.

He stood and asked"Where are going, Cordelia"

Cordelia turned to him with hatred burning through her eyes and voice said"Why do you care, Sirius"

And then with a last glare at him and swish of Malfoy's black overcloak that was draped around her, she was gone.


	11. Revenge Gone Too Far

A/N: Hi! OMG! I'm so sorry I haven't written in a while but this week i had some school stuff to do. Damn school….grimaces and kicks something, realizes she kicked to hard and jumps up and down in pain Anyway, this chapter you all should like, I warm you now there is some mean Sirius in here. But do not fear because it shall get better! I promise! It will get even better if you guys review! Please review people those who review this chapter I will put your names up here because you guys are awesome and loyal! Please review so your name can be up here! I know you want to! Love Always! padfootqueen

P.S.- By the way I'm going to California next week and I might not be able to update till I get back. But I promise that if you guys review **_A LOT_** then I will put one or maybe two up before I leave! Love padfootqueen!

* * *

It was five days till Christmas and Cory was overly excited. Lily would be going home but she would be coming back a few days before school started to stay with Cory at Hogwarts. Cory really didn't have a death wish so she decided to stay at school. When she had left for Pengelum her foster father told her that she was to never come back to their house again. In Cory's mind she was more then happy to oblige to his request. She would never have to go back to the Vanes again. That was like a heaven sent gift that Cory had been longing to receive most of her life. No more foster care! That was awesome. She would never be told that she was worthless again. She wouldn't be hit anymore. She wouldn't feel like suicide was the best option. She was free. That was all that mattered. Cory's life had never been the ideal life. After her parents died she was sent into foster care. From house to house she went and with each house things got worse and worse for her. Each family didn't give a shit about her and would have probably had a party if she died. They all hated her. That was why she flew to and from camp with her real family's money. There was no denying it, Ash's did have money, but there wasn't really a family that the money belonged to. Cory had no family so all her parents money was hers. Many times Cory looked up in books if there were any possibilities of buying her freedom. But in the end she always found that it was impossible. Cory never thought much of her money. She was a modest person that would give her money away in a heartbeat to a friend in trouble. That was just the kind of person she was and would always be. 

Despite her pasts resurfacings, Cory was in a semi-good mood There was Christmas and there was……..Okay, so maybe things weren't as great as she would have hoped. Lucius actually wasn't the problem. That was actually going quite well. Well, as well as dating a Slytherin can go. Still that wasn't the problem. The problem was very easy to define. It was Sirius' and Cory's tempers. Cory was not going to deny it anymore. She cared for Sirius. Hell, she loved him. Unfortunately. Unfortunately her heart beat still quickened at the sight of him. Unfortunately whenever he laughed she felt the need to laugh to. Unfortunately she still wanted to kiss him every time he made an odd face at his and her friends. Unfortunately she still felt scared when she saw him almost get hit by a bludger at practice. So naturally because she felt all these things and more she was on the edge as it is. She really didn't need to be forced into working on a group project with him. But she was anyway.

"Group by group, could I please see all groups to discuss their projects!" Professor McGonagual said in class one day. _Shit!_ Cory thought. She and Sirius had been on such bad terms that they had never spoken of the project. But thank Merlin, McGonagual continued, "If you and your partner have yet to chose a topic then you can ask me for assistance I will be glad to suggest a topic. Now, may I see Ms. Ash and Mr. Black in my office first."

Then she went into her office. Cory got up and without even looking at Sirius followed her into her office. Her temper again was getting the best of her. The last time she had looked over at Sirius Ann had her arm around his waist and the other on his chest, she was practically laying on him! Cory couldn't stand to be the same room as Sirius and Ann. Ann was **always** hanging all over him and touching him! It drove Cory up the wall. And the thing that actually really got to her was the fact that Sirius didn't seem to care. Sirius just relaxed into her touch. But most of all, despite what she really wanted, she wished that she was the one who had her arms around him. That got to kiss him and hug him and just **be **with him. Because of this Cory and Lily decided to put Operation Fuck Sirius Black into overdrive. This meant that Cory took every opportunity she could get and spent it with Lucius. Also she tried to situate as moments she could where she, Lucius and Sirius were all present. Cory got a very sweet satisfaction when Sirius' eyes would fill up with rage when she started kissing Lucius. Though of course while Lucius was kissing her all she wanted was the kisser to be Sirius!

"Now," McGonagual said as she sat down in the chair behind her desk and looked at Cory then to Cory's left. He had followed her in there. "Have you two decided upon a topic?"

Cory for the fortieth time probably that day looked at Sirius. There really was no denying it, she still looked at Sirius and he still looked at her. But now they turned and looked at each other differently. They made eye contact and really stared at each other long and hard. Cory glared at the guy next to her but for the first time that day she felt as though all of her body was unwinding. She didn't feel the stress of McGonagual's eye. She didn't feel the pain of Sirius' betrayal. She was just looking at him and he was relaxing her by just looking at her. _How is doing this? Why is he looking at my like that?_ Cory pondered to herself. It seemed that Sirius was going through the same thing. But then the noise of laughter erupted in the other room. Both of the knew that laughter. It belonged to Ann. Sirius kept looking at Cory, but Cory blinked. The blink ended the feeling. The laugh continued and with every second that the laugh continued on for, Cory's pain and anger returned. She broke his gaze and turned to McGonagual. Cory didn't see but Sirius' gaze dropped to his feet and he wore a depressed expression of hurt. But then he thought of Malfoy with Cory and he straightened up and looked at McGonagual once he got flooded with a renewed anger.

"We were hoping that you could possibly give us a topic to research, Professor." Cory said in a hard tone that was driven by Cory's anger.

"That's fine." The Professor said and looked down at a list in front of her on her desk. She scanned it then looked back up at her two students. "How about Animagi?"

Sirius' mood lightened. _That will be the easiest essay to write ever!_ He thought. Then he said without waiting for Cory's response, "That sounds great Professor! Thank you."

With that he grabbed Cory's wrist and they left the room.

Sirius soon realized that it was a mistake to touch Cory. Lightening, or something like it, shocked though Sirius. He looked down at Cory who was currently looking at his hand on her wrist, then she looked up at him. Neither of them moved. They stood outside of McGonagual's office with the whole class sitting in front of them. The once laughing classroom fell silent and everyone one of it's occupants seemed to be staring at the scene that was unfolding before them. Black eyes met blue and they couldn't break the stare. His fingers still grasped Cory's wrist. Inside Sirius did not want to let go Cory's wrist. If he let go then he would have to go back to Ann and Cory would return to Lucius' arms. He couldn't take it.

Cory's impulse was first to get out of his grasp. She always pulled out of anyone's grasp. She didn't like the idea of being held down by someone. When she was gripped in the past, it meant that she was going to get hit. But Cory got a different kind of impulse with Sirius. It was a kind off impulse that was almost telling her to stay where she was. Stay where it was safe. That was how she felt with Sirius; safe. He was gentle but at the same time made her move out of McGonagual's office. She found herself wishing that he never let go of her. In fact, her insides were begging for him not to let. Sirius' grasp wasn't threatening like Lucius' sometimes was. Sirius' made her feel safe. Protected. And something else, was it love?

But Cory never got to find out because then Ann came over to Sirius. She slid her arm around his waist and unfortunately, she spoke. "Sirius, come on, I'm on the list to go and get questioned about my topic tomorrow. Let's go. And let go of Cory. You should now, she doesn't like to be touched."

Cory felt herself swell with anger. She felt like hitting Ann so hard it was almost unbearable. She probably would have hit her and was actually planning to when Sirius then suddenly let go of Cory's wrist. Cory noticed that he had before doing this looked over her shoulder. His eyes filled with anger. Sirius turned to Ann and kissed. Just like that. Just lent down and kissed her. He wrapped her up in his arms and then smiled. Cory felt pain and anger blossom inside her. He put on smug smile and then his eyes hardened again when he looked over just behind Cory. Cory soon found out why.

Two strong, black cloaked arms wrapped themselves around Cory's waist. The body behind her pulled her to them. She inhaled, she knew that smell. It was Lucius. She looked at Sirius who was currently pretending to be listening to what Ann was telling him, but it seemed to Cory that his full attention was on her and Lucius. This was a perfect opportunity. Cory slide back into the man behind her and laughed. She and Lucius turned so they were facing each other.

"You look beautiful…." Lucius trailed off as he went close to her neck and started to leave a trail of kisses. She put her arms around his neck. Cory pulled him up from her neck and brought his lips to her mouth. She kissed him. She felt many gazes on then as they were doing this, but she didn't care. Though one gaze was just too much. He was looking at her. She could feel him boring into her. She pulled back. Lucius then spoke again, "Gets better every time." Cory smiled a fake smile up at him and he continued, "Why don't we go?"

"Good idea." Cory said even though that was the exact opposite of what Cory really wanted to do! All she wanted was to run from Lucius over to Sirius. Sirius was what she wanted. Too bad he didn't want her.

They started to make their way out when Cory yelled over to Lily that she would see her later. Cory an Lucius went out to the lake and sat there. It was pretty cold out there, but she needed the time to think. How could she get her point across to Sirius? She was completely baffled. He would look at her and she could swear that he was looking at her with love in his eyes, but then he would look away with a hard to read expression displayed across his face. She was in deep thought when she realized she would be late for Divination. Divination had to be the biggest joke of a class, but still Cory took it and did the best she could to see something in tealeaves.

When she realized she really had to go, she said to Lucius, "I really have to go. I've got Divination. Sorry. I'll see you later, okay?"

"I'll walk you." Lucius said following Cory's suit and getting up. She yet again smiled a fake smile and they made there way up to the castle. Lucius had also yet again wrapped his arm around Cory's waist and pulled her close to him. Cory put an arm around Lucius and they made their way to class. Five minutes later they were at Divination. Lucius walked in with her and Cory made her way over to where Lily, Emma and Bethany were already sitting. She put down her books and was about to sit down when Lucius pulled her back to him. He held close to his chest and she faked another smile. He leaned down to kiss her again and as she closed her eyes and felt his lips touch hers, she heard the sound of a teacup breaking.

"Now ladies and gentlemen," Professor Abbot said in his dreamy voice, "please settle down. Mr. Malfoy I believe I don't see you again till tomorrow. Please leave my classroom so I can get on with my lesson." Lucius left. _Thank Merlin._ "Now- Wait, Mr. Black!"

Cory turned around. She had by then sat down and was waiting for the lesson to start. When she turned around she saw a very, very peeved Sirius Black. At the table behind Cory and her friends were the Marauders. There was Sirius looking straight at Cory. On the table in front of him was a broken teacup. Quinn and Remus were looking down shaking their heads while Sirius got up to leave but James pulled him back into his seat whispered something in his ear.

"Mr. Black why have you broken one of my cups!" Abbot yelled at Sirius and he stood next to Cory's table and shouted at Sirius.

"It was just an accident, Sir." James said for Sirius, who was currently glaring at the table in front of him. Abbot started the lesson and Cory, along with her friends, turned around. James then whispered to Sirius, "What was that?"

Sirius wrote on the corner of his paper, _He kissed her._

James replied on the same piece of paper,_ You're kidding right?_

_Why would kid about that?_ Sirius wrote not taking his eyes off the lesson that was being taught in front of him.

_Okay, so you broke a teacup because Malfoy kissed Cory?_

_Yea._

_You can't let her get to you….just try and ignore it._

_WHAT! Now you have to be kidding. Imagine Lily making up with Snape, now think about how you feel and you have the equivalent feeling of what I am feeling._

_GROSSSSSS! Now that i think i won't be able to eat for days! How could even write that? But still I get what you mean._

_Why is she doing this?_

_Revenge. It's simply really._

_I need to do something to get to her… what should I do?_

_I have no idea…..but make it happen in Herblogy after lunch. Wait, speaking of lunch…ah there we go, he'll dismiss us in a second._

_Good idea. Thank Merlin this class is over. _

All the Griffindors went to lunch and nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. Well except for some equally distributed evil glares that were shared between one Sirius Black and one Cordelia Ash. But besides that, lunch was uneventful. Well, at least it was until the end. Somehow at lunch Cory wound up sitting directly across from Sirius. But that wasn't even the problem. It all happened right as lunch was ending and they were all getting ready to go to Herblogy. They were all sitting still and were actually having a civil conversation when Cory's least favorite person came to the table; Ann. Fire blazed inside Cory. She tightened her grip on her goblet. Ann started walking over and as soon as Sirius saw her he stopped mid-sentence and got up. Cory's knuckled turned white she was gripping the goblet so hard. He intercepted her into his arms and kissed her passionately on the mouth. The goblet cracked and was left in pieces in Cory's hands. Everyone at the Griffindor table seemed to be equally as revolted at the sight that was playing in front of them. Cory felt like she was going to explode! She got up. Lily followed along with Bethany and Emma. They quickly left. Cory seemed to be in daze. What was she doing? What was she thinking? Why had she wanted to play him? She had been such an idiot! It was all becoming clear. She knew what she wanted and had to do. First thing was get rid of Lucius. That wouldn't be a problem. Next she would have to get Sirius back. That was going to be the BIG problem. The anger that had corrupted her for so long now was replaces with pain, sorrow and need. She needed to be with him. The girls eventually the girls caught with Cory though.

Emma was the first to speak, "Are you okay, Cory?"

"Yea, that was fowl…..You okay?" Bethany said next.

"I think you know what you have to do, Cor. Really as I look back on it, we should have stopped this a while ago. It's getting to you, isn't it?" Lily said, putting a hand on Cory's shoulder.

"I need him." Cory said.

The girls all nodded and understood what Cory meant. She had finally had enough of Operation Fuck Sirius Black. It was time to try and get him back. Slowly they all made there way out to the greenhouses. Professor Sprout was there ready and waiting to teach as always. Cory felt miserable all class, but did a very good job of covering it up. Considering this class was with the Hufflepuffs, Ann's house, Cory was hiding her emotions very well. The class was finally getting to the end. Cory had devised a plan in her head all class. She would after class go and break it off with Lucius then somehow she would talk to Sirius. How she would talk to him was something she had yet to figure out how to do. Class, even though it was still so close to ending had still a lot in store for Cory, but she didn't know it.

"Now, please of everyone could place there pots up of the windowsill so they can get proper sunlight? Thank you, let's have this half of the room," Professor Sprout gestured to Cory's half of the room, "go first and then this half." She finished gesturing to Sirius' half.

This was something she didn't want to do. In order to get to the windowsill she would have to go right next to Sirius' table. _Shhhhhiiitttttttttt!_ Cory thought. Gathering her confidence, she wasn't a Griffindor for nothing, made her way over to the ledge. As she was making her ay over Ann slithered her way into Sirius' arms.

Then within ten seconds Cory felt her world crumble. Ann said four words, "Sirius, I love you."

Cory froze in her spot. Actually Cory wasn't the only one who froze. Lily who was to her right froze. Also so did Bethany and Emma who were to Cory's left. Cory had her head down and her pot in her hands. But what she didn't know was that her and her friends weren't the only ones listening. Quinn, Remus and James were all listening intently. They all wanted to see just how far he would go to hurt Cory and get his revenge. Inside all the Marauders wished that he would just brush it off.

But he didn't. He said, "I love you too, Ann."

Then he kissed her.

Cory's pot fell from her hands. It cascaded down to ground along with her cool façade. Everything was collapsing before her. No one moved. Cory felt her throat close. For the fifth time in her life she was going to cry. He had made her cry. Hot, hot tears threatened Cory's eyes. Sirius looked over at the girl he really loved while Ann hugged him. This wasn't the reaction he wanted. He wanted her to get mad. Hit something, anything. Not cry. _Is she crying?_ Sirius thought. _Oh no, what have I done?_ Sirius continued in his mind.

One crystal drop surged and fell to the ground of the greenhouse. Then another. And then another. Cory was still frozen. The Marauders immediately knew that their best friend had gone way to far this time. Cory's friends were all thinking of ways to kill the jerk that was causing Cory to cry. In the middle though still stood a very still Cordelia Ash. Then before anyone could blink an eye, Cory had sprinted out of the greenhouses. At the same time, someone started running after her.


	12. The Difference Between Want and Love

A/N: Hi everyone! I promised I would update so here it is! Since I'll be away for the week I would absolutely LOVE it if when I came back home there were reviews waiting for me. Not only will this make me really happy but it will also inspire me! I would personally like to thank **BlueMoonChild89, StonySilence, TaKeFlIgHtDrAcOLuVr, doomstar, linnie, Kel, Alyssia, A-passive-interlude and Moonylovesflo.** You all are unbelievably amazing! I love you guys sooo much for reviewing. Honestly you guys make me soooo happy. I apologize that this one is kind-of short but my dad was being annoying and told me to take my ipod and leave the computer room. So this one is short. Oh hum, pigs bum, what can you do? Nothing. But hey I'll stop rambling so you guys can read! Love as always padfootqueen

ps- **i have to warn you, there is some very bad things in this chapter. bad meaning molesting. i warn you now. but please read because i didn't make it too graphic.**

* * *

_Idiot! God I'm an idiot how could I let myself fall for Sirius Black? What was I thinking! Oh Merlin, now he's seen me crying….just great. Absolutely fucking perfect. He's probably making out with her right now just to spite me. Wonderful. _Cory was running faster then she had ever ran in her life. She was running from Sirius. Running from the embarrassment she just faced. Running from her crumbling life. Everything was falling apart. She wasn't the one that was suppose to crack! It was suppose to be him. He was the one that was suppose to realize that they couldn't live without each other. He as the one that was suppose to crumble to her feet. Yet, he didn't. She did. She had just fallen so hard for him and way too quickly. Never in her life she been this captivated by someone. Never. She made her way along the lake still sprinting. When suddenly someone grabbed her. 

"Cordelia?" It was Lucius. This was so not the time. She was sick of lying, to herself, to Sirius and to everyone.

She turned to him and said, "Look Lucius, I've realized something and I really don't think we should see each other anymo-"

Remember how Cory thought he was definitely a Slytherin, yea well that assumption was made correct when he interrupted her. "Oh no you don't. We are staying together. I've told my parents and they are way too pleased with you. You know, because you're a pure blood and all. No way are we breaking up. There seem to be certain things you don't understand, Cordelia. I am a Malfoy and as a Malfoy I get whatever I want. And I want you."

With that he smashed his mouth into Cory's. Cory tried to hit him away and partially succeeded. She yelled, "Get the fuck off Malfoy!"

But there was no one around to save her, or so she thought. He propped her up so she had her legs around his waist. He began to unbutton her robes with immense force. She was screaming when Lucius then silenced her. She was screwed. _Oh Merlin, oh Merlin!_ Cory thought. _No this isn't happening! Oh NO!_

Everything was just going wrong. For the second time that day, Cory starting crying. She was really making a habit out of this crying stuff as much as she didn't want to. What was she going to do! Cory pushed at Lucius hard on the chest in an attempt to get him off her. He dropped her she landed on the ground. Her legs killed but she managed to get up. But then Lucius tackled her to the ground. He much larger then her at a height of 6'0 and was too strong for Cory. Every part of her was now aching because he was on top of her.

He was unzipping her pants when Cory then heard someone yell, "Stupefy!"

Lucius body went limp and fell onto Cory. Her voice ached she had been screaming so much silently and she had her eyes shut tight, half to hid her tears and half to not to see Lucius' face. Cory felt the body of Lucius being lifted off her and she as fast as she could crawled away. She tried to get up but it was no use once she was up she immediately fell. She made it all the way over to one of the large rock piles that was by the edge of the lake. Cory, lying back against one of them, brought her knees to her chest and began to cry even harder.

"Cordelia…..?" a voice came from above her. Cory didn't look up. She didn't even hear the voice. She was too preoccupied with how much her body ached and was too traumatized by the fact she was just molested by Lucius Malfoy. Cory suddenly felt someone else's presence. She opened her eyes and looked up. There Sirius Black.

Sirius wore a very sad expression. He looked down at Cory with a great amount of emotion in his eyes. First emotion Cory noticed right away was fear. He was scared for her. Second was sorrow. Third was need. Sirius felt such a need to just hold Cory and never let go of her. He wanted to make sure that no one ever hurt her again. He wanted to make her feel safe. But Sirius restrained himself from reaching out and grabbing her ad taking her as far away from the unconsicous body of Lucius Malfoy. Sirius crouched down in front of Cory and then went down to his knees.

When Cory had left the greenhouse Sirius had been the one to follow her. Ann ran after him and she demanded from him why he was going after Cory. "Well to put it simply, Ann, I'm going after her because I love her. I'm sorry but I need to be with her. You won't understand and I'm sorry about that, but I have to go after her. We're done."

He had continued to run after Cory after he had broken things off with Ann. It felt like a weight ha just been lifted off his shoulders. He wouldn't have to lie about everything anymore! Now all he needed to do was catch up with Cory and convince her that he really like her not Ann. That was going to be the hard part. What he didn't expect was to go down to lake where he assumed Cory went and see Cory on the ground screaming, but had obliviously been put under a silencing charm because she was making no noise, and to have Lucius Malfoy on top of her molesting her. Sirius had sprung into action. He ran towards them and stupefied Lucius. He quickly got Lucius' body off Cory as Cory started to crawl away. He bound Lucius and then turned back to Cory. She was huddled against the rocks and was swaying back and forth. His heart clenched. Slowly, he made his way over to Cory's shaking body. He didn't want to scare so he cautiously spoke her name. She didn't hear him at first and then she looked up at him. She seemed to be reading his face through her tear filled eyes. Her eyes were red and she was still shaking as he squatted down in front of her and then put down to his knees.

Neither of them moved. Neither of them spoke. What was there to say?

Cory didn't know what she needed or wanted. Actually, that was only partially true. She wanted and needed Sirius. She wanted him to hole her and lake sure that she would be alright. She needed to feel that safe feeling he always gave her. Cory put her head down as she remembered what had happened not twenty minutes ago. _"I love you too, Ann."_ she thought and she cried harder.

Sirius heard her crying intensify and he said in a quiet voice, "It's all right Cordelia, I won't let him near you. Besides he's unconscious…"

Cory froze. _Why is he here? Why isn't he off with Ann?_

Cory looked up at him and opened her mouth to speck but then she realized she couldn't. She took out her wand, she didn't want anyone to know she could use wand-less magic, and repaired her voice. "What are you doing here, Sirius?"

All emotions that were in Sirius' eyes were now replace by one; hurt. _What is she talking about? _Sirius thought. Then it occurred to him. In her eyes he was still with Ann.

Sirius said, "I went after you. I was worried about you. Sorry I was a little a late. Ann decided to ask some questions. I then told her what's been on my mind."

Cory knew what Sirius wanted her to ask him. He wanted her to just lay out the usual questions. _Oh whatever…_ Cory thought and decided to just ask the obvious question, "What were thinking about?"

"You." Sirius said and gave a sad smile.

Too many things were happening at once for Cory. First the love confessions that were now starting to sound fake, then came Lucius and now this. This was too much for a girl to take so Cory's steady sobbing turned into crying yet again. Damn. Things were swirling through her mind and everything was just too much. Was Sirius in love with her? Was she still in love with him? Well that was an easy one to answer; yes. God, was she ever.

Sirius heard Cory's yet again increased crying rate and was overwhelmed with the need to hold her. He wasn't going to listen to his brain anymore. He was sick of pretending. He needed to make her feel alright. And at the current time she wasn't. This was a problem. A problem that Sirius had to solve.

Though before Sirius could say anything, Cory spoke, "Why are you doing this? Really? Why? What is it you want from me? What is it that everyone wants? Why can't everyone just for once leave me alone? Please why?"

After her quiet rant, she broke into tears harder then ever and her eyes showed fear and an unmistakable feeling of being lost. This was too much. Sirius' restraint snapped. He thought of just pulling her to him but then he thought the better of it when he noticed as he reached out to take her in his she drew herself closer into a ball. He paused and pulled back.

Maybe it would best if he asked first. "Cory…..It's alright. Look I won't hurt you, I promise….Listen, I'm here ok? Come here…Please? I just want to hold you."

Maybe it was a low point. Maybe it was the cold getting to her. Maybe it was her over worked and stressed mind. But, still Cory found herself looking up into the face of Sirius Black and nodding. It was a small nod, but Sirius took it for what it was. Gently, he moved closer to the girl he loved and slid his arms around her. Warmth, spread worth Cory like hot water in a shower. As he pulled her closer to him, Cory began it feel a feeling that had been long since denied from her; safety. Sirius pulled her closer to him. He wanted her to hug the sadness and trauma out of her. He slid her so her legs were draped over his thighs and her side was on his chest. Her head was on his chest and she cried into his robes. Sirius stroked her hair and whispered to her that everything about be alright.

For an hour they just sat there. Sirius held her close and when her tears started fall more often and she would tense in his arms, he would pull her closer to him and tighten his hold on her. This was the second time since Cory's parents deaths that someone held her. The first time was after their deaths by the man that picked her up. But Cory didn't know if that counted or not. She couldn't remember what they looked like. All she could remember was that she had seen them before, they were friends of her parents. But his time, it was different. Sirius was different. He was holding her out of what she thought to be love. _Could it be? Did he love her?_

It started getting dark and Sirius knew that they had to go or else they would both freeze. Cory had fallen asleep on Sirius' chest. She looked so beautiful and peaceful when she slept Sirius realized. Slowly, because he didn't want to wake her, Sirius got up. He set off for the castle. With Cory's head resting under his chin, Sirius got a strange sensation. He felt whole. He wasn't thinking about how he might have to go to home in a two days. He wasn't thinking about his potions essay that was also due in two days. Cory seemed to pacify him. He smiled. Cory did things to him. Whether it was aggravate, confuse or now relax him, Sirius always felt better when she was around him. _Why can she do this to me? Wait, is this…Could this be….love?_


	13. Candle Love and Dreams from the Past

A/N: Hello! OMG, I love everyone who reviewed! My vacation was awesome and was made complete when I came home and saw my reviews! Ahhh, they were amazing, just like you guys who read my stories! But I will stop writing and let you read! Please review! Love Always, padfootqueen

**Important note!- NOOOO, Cory and Malfoy did not have sex! And neither do Cory and Sirius in this chapter, so don't think that!**

_

* * *

Cory was in a dark chamber. He was there and in the distance so was someone else but her dream self couldn't tell who._

"_Nooooo! Stop please! Anything, I'll give anything!" _

"_You stupid child, what do you think I want?"_

"_Fine, I'll do it…just don't hurt him…please…"_

_The laugh._

"Cordelia?"

_Flash_

_It was her parents this time._

"_Ophelia! Noooo!", then they were dead._

"Cory….!"

_Flash _

_She was back at her foster parent's house. It was in the basement. There he was, Jarred, her foster-father. Drunk._

"_You stupid child! What the fuck is wrong with you! You're nothing! A worthless piece of trash."_

_Then there was a pain in her back as the Jack Daniels bottle was broken on her lower back. She screamed._

_Flash_

The screaming carried over into the real world. Cory turned on her side and hid herself in the fabric next to her. Everything was coming back. Voldemort. Her parents. Jarred. Everything. Everything she had worked so hard to repress was flooding back to her. It was like a damn had been opened and there was no stopping it now. She was shaking as the images replayed themselves in the privacy of her own mind.

Then she stopped. Something wasn't right. Then everything that more recently happened flooded back as well to her. The last thing she could remember was being laid down on a comfortable surface and warmth. That warmth. His warmth. Sirius. Cory opened her eyes for the first time and looked at what she was laying on. It was a black sweater. (A/N: Okay now use your imaginations because J. K. Rowling doesn't go into this. They do actually wear other clothes. Hence the clothes under the robes. Okay, that probably didn't make any sense but I don't want people reviewing and saying that they didn't get it. If you still don't then review and I'll answer but other wise, on with the show.) Her hand was on the black sweater and so was the side of her face. Her senses were coming back very quickly. She took a look around again.

Cory was in a room. But not just any room. The room she was in looked like a lodge straight out of Vermont. Everything was wood; the walls, the floor, the table in the corner and even the bedposts. There was a fire roaring from a fireplace on the far wall of the room and all over the tables and parts of the floors, were candles. The candles were in all different shades of red then blues and some whites. Gorgeous forest green carpet was in front of the fireplace under a coffee table. From there the carpet continued to stretch along the floor to lie under two black leather armchairs and one black leather couch. The one direction she had yet to look was behind her. Her eyes followed up the strong chest she was leaning on and soon she met the stunning, black eyes of Sirius Black.

Awkward. Was one way to put it. Romantic. Was another. Which was it?

"Hi….." Sirius said looking down at her with great emotion in his eyes. A mix of surprise, uneasiness and love poured out through Sirius' eyes and Cory drank up his emotions that matched hers perfectly. More of their surroundings came into play then. Cory noticed as Sirius slid his back up so it was against the back board of the bed, bringing Cory with him, that they both were being warmed by intense cranberry, flannel sheets. The rim of Sirius' soft, faded blue jeans was just visible and Cory looked down at herself. She still wore her own old blue jeans and had on her blue long sleeve shirt as well. Glancing away from herself and the bed, she looked over at the room again she noticed that draped over one of the black leather chairs, were two pairs of robes. Hers and Sirius'. Everything somehow felt right. Her dreams weren't returning to her anymore, she wasn't even thinking about Lucius. All she was thinking about was this moment with the guy she loved. Her Sirius Black.

"Did you do this?" Cory asked returning her gaze once to Sirius'.

"You were asleep and I knew if we went back to the common room everyone would ask way too many questions and I took a guess that you wouldn't want to have to deal with them….so I brought you here."

"Where are we?" Said Cory announcing her second question and looking around again.

"We're in the Room of Requirement. Me and the rest of my friends found it second year. The room takes the form of the type of place you need the most. I needed to get you somewhere warm and comfortable and this room was the room we got."

Sirius smiled down at Cory and never in his whole life had he wanted to reach down and kiss someone so badly. Cory looked up at Sirius. All the worry that was in his eyes was now just replaced by one thing; love. A piece of Cory's hair broke out of its hold behind her ear and cascaded to the front of her face. Sirius moved his hand out from behind his head, where one of them had been, the other Cory noted was around her waist, and pushed it behind her ear again.

All the tension that had been between them had melted away. The resistance they had had to use not to touch and kiss each other was no longer needed. They didn't have to hold back anymore. Sirius' hand remained on the side of Cory's face. His touch was too tempting for Cory to bear. She slid up to him and kissed him gently on the lips, a kiss he gladly returned. She stopped and so did he. The two looked at each other. They seemed to get to a silent agreement. His hand still caressed her face and Cory couldn't take it anymore. She moved over, thus forcing Sirius to move to the center to the bed, which he did willingly. She swung a leg over his lower abdomen and leaned down. At the same time, Sirius sat up and wrapped his arms around the girl straddling his waist. Cory's hands journeyed up his chest to neck and then to his long, flowing hair. For so long she had wanted to plunge her fingers through his hair and now she was finally was doing it. His hair was fine and thin just like his fingers that were in her hair as well.

Mouth to mouth. Chest to chest, Cory wrapped her legs around his waist then froze. _…There seem to be certain things you don't understand, Cordelia. I am a Malfoy and as a Malfoy I get whatever I want. And I want you._ Lucius' voice crept into her head and forced her to pull back from Sirius. Panicking with fear, Cory got off the bed and crossed the room. Too many visions of Malfoy controlled her mind. His voice echoed repeatedly through her ears and this caused her to shiver. Trembling, she sat on one of the leather armchairs and stared into the thriving fire. Soon Sirius was kneeling before, as always wearing his emotions in his eyes. This emotion was hurt.

"Cordelia…." He ventured softly. Cory flinched. "What did I do?"

"It's not you…." Cory said trailing off.

"Was it, him? Malfoy?" Upon hearing his name Cory flinched for the second time. Cory nodded her head. Sirius sighed, then continued softly, "Cory, I'm not Malfoy. I'll never do something like that to you, baby. Never…..Do you want to go? If you do I'll understand-"

Cory looked away from the fire.

"No Sirius." She said desperately. She did not want him to leave. He was the only person that made her feel safe. "I don't….just… I don't want to leave you. With you Sirius, I know that no one can hurt me. It's not your fault I pushed away, it's Malfoy's. When you kissed me, I just couldn't help but think of what happen. I'm not saying you're like him it's just that…."

Sirius nodded his head. "Okay, do you need anything?"

Cory looked away from the fire and into his eyes. "Only you."

Sirius' heart burst in his chest. _She needs me! YES!_ He nodded again and smiled, "Co'mere."

He reached out for Cory and took her in his arms. Cory folded herself into Sirius' strong arms as he picked her up. He kissed her lightly on the forehead and then went back to the bed and laid her down on top of it.

"Try and sleep, okay?"

"Where are you going?" Cory said panicking slightly as he started to walk away.

"I was just going to go sit on the couch and let you sleep…"

This was the exact opposite of what he wanted to do but he didn't want to freak her out or anything by sleeping with her. He had already did it once, he didn't need to do it again. Cory on the other hand too wanted Sirius to stay with her.

Pleading, she said to him, "Please don't leave me, Sirius. I-I don't want to be alone."

He smiled and said, to make sure she was really okay with it, "Are you sure?"

She nodded.

Sirius went forward to the girl he loved and slowly pushed back the sheets. Cory slid over as he moved into the bed, his body relaxing against the mattress as he slid further into it. He lay on his back and they both smiled. He put his arm around Cory's shoulders inviting her to lay on his chest. She accepted as he guided her to his chest. Again she lay her head on his chest along with her hand. She knew she should sleep but what if she had another dream? Two in one night would be hell. After about ten minutes she thought Sirius was asleep so she looked up, just to make sure. She was caught. He was awake.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" He asked softly returning her gaze.

"Why aren't you?" Cory asked raising her eyebrows at him.

"I asked you first." He said as a smile slid across his face.

"So." Cory replied and the smile slid right off his face.

He then looked serious(no pun intended.) "Why aren't you sleeping, Cordelia? Tell me."

She lied, "I'm not that tired."

"Riiiight. Or maybe you're scared to dream like you did last time you went to sleep?"

"How-" She began. But Sirius interrupted her.

"Cordelia, I'm human, I have nerve endings, I felt you shake and toss in your sleep. And I also heard you screaming in fright. Something's wrong….can you tell me what it is?"

She looked away from him ashamed at her fear of her dreams.

"Don't look away, Cordelia." Sirius said and then continued, "Please, just talk to me. Maybe I could help."

"I don't think you can Sirius… You can't change the past…." Cory then shuddered as her foster father's face flashed through her mind once again. Sirius felt her shiver and he pulled her closer to him.

"Cordelia, if you're scared, then know this; I will never let anyone hurt you. I'll always be there for you, no matter what. You got that?"

Cory looked up at him and smiled a sad smile. She lent forward and kissed him gently on the lips. When she pulled back she said, "I know Sirius. I know. No one can hurt me when I'm safe with you."

Soon after that, they both fell asleep. But this time it was Sirius who had the nightmare.

Visions of his home flashed through his mind. His dreadful mother. His abusive, jerk of a father. And his brother who even though he hated, still he on some level cared about. That was why when beatings came, Sirius tried to take most of them and spare his brother. But, Regulus had learned to be the perfect son and become a pureblood manic just like his parents. His mother yelling, his father's beatings and brother's remarks filled his head.

His eyes popped open. He was caked in a cold sweat. _Shit._ He looked down fearful that he might have woken Cory. But, to his great surprise and relief, Cory laid across his chest dead asleep. _Thank Merlin._ He thought and exhaled a sigh of relief.

In two days he would be going back to that hell hole, A.K.A. his home. What kind of home is it where he was unloved, hated and treated like crap? Not a very good one was the answer. Sirius had thought many times of running away from his 'home'. It seemed to be the greatest idea to him. But he knew he would never get away with it. Where would he go? What would he do? How could he get away? Because of these questions, Sirius never seemed to be able to run away, despite how much he wanted to. Plagued by the thoughts of returning to his home, Sirius was unable to fall back asleep.

After about an hour of just thinking, he felt Cory move against his chest. She squirmed slightly and opened her eyes. She seemed to at first freak out, not remembering where she was. But then she looked down at his chest and around the room a bit, she got her bearings straight. Looking up she saw him watching her and looked down into his chest. Then she looked up again, but this time she had a huge smile plastered across her face.

"Hey." She said in a sleepy voice, "What time is it?"

Sirius smiled down at the girl laying on his chest. He had just been in one his worst moods and just by seeing her smile, his anger and depression disappeared.

"It is…" he paused and looked down at his watch, "around nine o'clock. We should head back actually. Damn, I don't want to go….."

"Neither do I." Cory said truthfully as she lay her head back to his chest, "Neither do I."

"Something could have happened to them!" Lily Evans yelled as she paced the area in front of the common room's fire place. Since Herblogy no one had seen Cory or Sirius. No one knew that they were perfectly safe with each other and were, in actuality, in transit back to the common room at that moment. One of the people who didn't know this was Lily. To say she was nervous and scared for her friend would be the exact truth. The Marauders could guess where Sirius and Cory were but they didn't want to say their ideas out loud. They kept quiet because no one wanted to bare the wrath of Lily Evans when she was mad or didn't know something about Cory.

James decided that he would try and calm his girlfriend down before she blew an artery, "Lily, look, they're probably off together somewhere. Just try and relax, okay?"

"Relax? Relax! James Potter, your best friend is MIA as well as my best friend and you are not even worried about where they could be!"

"Of course I'd like to know where he is, but I know that he isn't stupid enough to put himself or Cory in harm's way."

"Oh, thanks Jamsie! I must say I'm touched." A voice came from behind Lily and she whirled around to face it's owner. A smile spread across everyone of the Marauders faces. There in the doorway stood Sirius Black.

And he wasn't alone. Everyone in the common room looked over at the doorway. None of them could believe their eyes. Were they hallucinating? Were Cordelia Ash and Sirius Black standing together in the doorway and not killing each other? Did Sirius really have his arm around Cory's waist and was she really enjoying his touch? The world must be ending.

But it wasn't. The two came to an empty couch and sat on it together. Sirius' arm was not moving from Cory's waist and she relaxed against his side and turned to face her best friend.

"Hey Lily!" Cory said very happily.

"Are you high?" Lily asked in all seriousness.

"No." Was the given response from Cory.

"Are you drunk on firewhiskey?"

"No."

"Are you being forced to do this?" She said gesturing to Sirius' arm and his protective way of holding Cory.

"No. Lily, me and Sirius are together now. We both realized we didn't like either of the people we were with. So we broke it off with both of them and got together with each other."

"No way. This is a prank. This has to be a prank. Did they", gesturing to the Marauders, "put you up to this?"

"I didn't do this, Lily." James said coming up behind her and looking down at her.

"Lily, it's not a prank. I'm with Sirius." Cory said trying to convince her best friend.

"Prove it then. Now, Cory." Lily said thinking that she was winning this argument.

"You want proof?" Lily and James both nodded. Cory continued, "Fine."

She rose off the couch out of Sirius' grasp and then turned and pulled him up. Then in front of almost everyone in Griffindor, she pulled Sirius into a deep, passionate kiss. The kiss went on for a good ten seconds, then they both pulled back from each other, but still their bodies stayed leaning against one another's. Sirius put his hands on the sides of Cory's face and smiled.

"Merlin, you are truly amazing." He said and kissed her again.

After their second kiss Cory pulled away and faced both Lily and James, the only two people that didn't seem to believe it. Lily, who was now sitting, was in a state of shock, and James was nodding his head in agreement that they had finally gotten together.

"It's about damn time." James said with a smile on his face.

"Wow……" Lily said gazing in the distance then she shot up off the couch, "Oh my God! YAY!"

She then ran forward and wrenched Cory out of Sirius' arms, much to Sirius' disliking, and hugged her best friend.

The night passed quickly after that with the retelling of what happened. Cory and Sirius told everyone how they had gotten together but didn't them about Malfoy. Cory wasn't ready to tell everyone. It still freaked her out too much. Everyone, meaning Quinn, Remus, Sirius, Cory, Lily, James, Bethany and Emma, all sat in front of the fire. Some were on couches, some were on the floor, they didn't care, they were all just happy to be where they were. Cory was smiling from ear to ear. She could've been happier then she was right then. She was with her best friend, five of her closest friends and she was wrapped in her boyfriends arms. What was wrong with this? Nothing.

Yet.


	14. Holiday Break and Loneliness

A/N: Hey, hey, hey! I love everyone who reviewed and I'm sorry this kinda took me awhile. But the juices weren't flowing as good as usual, so….yea. But then I got more reviews and Vicky H. gave me an idea and my thoughts just took off! I hope you enjoy! REVIEW! Have a heart and click the button! Love always, padfootqueen!

* * *

"Alright, five minutes….."

"Damn, this takes forever!"

"Relax, Padfoot, Merlin."

"Down to four…."

"This better end soon.."

"I know, we all want to go."

"Three…."

"Merlin, when is he going to stop lecturing.."

"When you guys start playing attention."

"Shit, we'll be here for eternity."

"Yes, two…."

"Fuckkkkkk."

"If he doesn't hurry, I'm going to pull my hair out and scream at the top of my lungs."

"Me two."

"Me three."

"Not me."

"ONE!"

"Forty…."

"Thirty…."

"Twenty…"

"Ten…nine…eight….seven….six…five…four……three….two…one!"

"You may go now."

"YESSSSSSSSSSS!"

"BREAK! WAHOOO!"

"FINALLY!"

"Let's go!"

The end of term had finally ended and the Marauders literally sprinted out of their History of Magic class. All over the place, people were yelling and cheering. The four best friends started making their way down the hall to Griffindor Tower. Past the Great Hall they made their way up the stairs talking and laughing about different things. As they were moved down the corridor, they all heard familiar laughs coming up one of the moving staircases just ahead of them. Coming up the stairs, were Bethany, Lily, Cory and Emma, all laughing over something Lily was saying. They were about five steps to the top, when Lily stopped telling her story causing all the girls to look up from the ground where they had been looking towards Lily. Lily saw James and giggled then ran over to him. They both met halfway and James picked up Lily and swung her around then kissed her.

It was the mood of the place, everyone was happy! Break was finally here! The other girls had come up the stairs and Sirius and Cory started to walk to each other. By now many people knew that they were together, but many did not believe it. The hallways were crowded and many people noticed that two certain people were heading towards each other. They stood in front of each other and decided to have a little fun with the people watching them.

Fake anger showed on Sirius' face and he said menacingly to Cory, "What do you want, Ash?"

"Nothing, Black. Move." Cory said pretending to get annoyed.

"You can go around," Sirius said sensing that he might start laughing at the faces people were making. Some were saying to others that they knew Cory and Sirius weren't together. While others were confused as to why they were acting like this.

"Merlin, you are so irritable, Black."

"Really? Ash, you don't want to know what I think of you." Sirius said.

"Want to know what else I think of you?" Cory said.

"Sure."

"Well…..I think your sexy, incredible, kick ass at Quidditch, got an amazing body and you have the most astonishing way of kissing a girl." People's mouths dropped open and many smiled triumphantly while others laughed. A smile spread across Cory's face. (A/N: This part is for Vicky H., she gave me this idea in her review. If you have any ideas send them to me, I am not saying I'll use them right away but I might!) "Get over here, Black."

With that, she pulled his loose tie towards her bringing Sirius along with it. She kissed him eagerly as they both started to laugh.

"Ahhh, I missed you." Sirius said once they had stopped laughing and kissing each other. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she draped her arms around his neck.

"And I you." Cory replied as made their way towards the common room. The rest of their friends had already left and gone to the common room and were inside already when Sirius and Cory entered.

Upon entering, Cory felt like she didn't want to be there. It's not like she didn't like the company, it was just she felt like being somewhere else. She felt like being outside in the snow. After sitting in classes, stretching her legs would feel good. Also the fresh air would be good for her. She looked up at Sirius. He was walking over to the couch when he noticed that his girlfriend was not following. His brow furrowed in confusion.

"I'm gonna go for a walk." Cory said to him and the group.

"Okay."

"See ya."

"Bring a scarf."

"Yea it's cold."

"Might want to bring gloves too."

"Bye."

Her friends all chorused back to her. Sirius looked at her still puzzled. She went up stairs and grabbed her cloak, gloves and scarf. Descending the stairs, she made her way out.

Cory was outside and walking around the lake when someone tapped her on her shoulder. She turned and no one was there. She turned the other way and then heard a familiar voice.

"Looking for me?"

Cory looked in front for her. There was Sirius. (A/N; In all honesty, didn't you think I'd make it Lucius?) He had a big smile displayed on his face and Cory smiled as well.

"Exactly what I was looking for." Cory replied and Sirius grinned.

Sirius held out his hand and Cory took it without question. They walked silently around the lake for a while, both of them caught in their own thoughts. Cory was thinking of how she could get a spare moment to talk to James. She needed to know Sirius' address so she could send him his Christmas gift. Sirius on the other hand was thinking about how he was going to survive two weeks at his house. The thought of going home tortured him. Cory noticed his hard and serious expression and broke the silence.

"Sirius? What's wrong?"

Cory stopped walking and looked at her boyfriend, who apparently didn't even notice they had stopped he was in such deep thought. Cory lifted her hand and touched Sirius' cheek. Sirius then did something that Cory did not expect. When she touched him, he jerked back from her touch and got a very angry with a disturbed looked in his eyes. Through all their fighting, starring and in their relationship over all, Cory had never felt scared of Sirius. Now she was. He never looked at her like that. She instinctively took a step back. Her eyes were wide and she was ready to run if needed.

Sirius blinked and looked at Cory. He had been thinking about his family and naturally, he got depressed and angry about it. Thoughts of his father's reaction to his coming home plagued his mind. Last year his Christmas arrival had been awful. Hitting started early instead of present giving like it did in other homes. While his mind was watching that scene of his homecoming from last year, blow-by-blow replayed in his mind and then the real world had touched him. Cory had touched him, but because he was thinking of his past, he thought it was a bad kind of touch. Sirius looked at Cory and he wondered why she was looking like a deer caught in the headlights. He thought_, Oh no, I must have scared her._

"Cory….." Sirius said uncertainly. "I'm sorry I just…was thinking about something and you caught me off guard. That's all. I'm sorry."

Cory looked at him. Was he serious? Is he really good? _Yes. _She reassured herself.

Sirius took a cautious step towards Cory. He looked at her almost for permission to come closer and Cory got what he meant and nodded tensely, scared if she had made a mistake. He continued towards her and said, "I'm sorry I scared you."

She nodded. His voice was so pure. How could she have thought that he would hurt her as anyone in her past had? Sirius hugged her close to him. She was so scared when he looked at her it was as if her past was in the present. She pulled back and looked him in the eye.

"You scared me, Sirius. Don't ever look at me like that again. Please, don't Sirius."

She looked at him pleadingly and he said softly, "I promise."

They started to walk again and Sirius kept Cory close to him realizing that he would be without her and her love for two weeks. He didn't want to ever let go of her again. But, he knew he'd have to. _Damn._

The two had made their way back to the school by now and when Sirius asked if they should go in, Cory said she didn't want to, so they kept walking. After some time had passed, they reached a courtyard and they sat on a bench together, Cory still in Sirius' arms.

"I don't want you to go, Sirius." Cory said after five minutes of silence that involved more thinking from both of them. She looked at him. "Even though we just got together, I still wish you could stay here….I'm going to miss you so much."

Sirius looked at Cory and decided he had to know the thing that was tormenting him so badly. He said, "Cory, did I scare you that bad before?"

"Yes."

"Oh, Merlin…."He said and put his head in his hands. This is what he didn't want. He didn't want to scare her. He wanted her to always feel safe around him, not frightened.

"You've just never looked at me like that and it just…….scared me."

He looked at her and said, "I'm so sorry. You know, I'll miss you too, right?"

"Yea." And she smiled softly.

Snow started to fall around them as they both leaned towards each other and kissed tenderly. They both realized that this was it. They would apart for two weeks and it plagued them both. At the same time, they pulled back and smiled at each other.

"What am I going to do without you?" Sirius said in all honestly to Cory, which caused her to smile even more.

As they were about to lean in for another kiss, a snowball flew towards them and hit Sirius in the head. They both shot up off the bench and looked around. There, in front of them, stood their friends laughing at them. Clad in hats, gloves, scarves and heavy cloaks, their friends stood there waiting for a response and trying to hold back their laughter. They were failing. Awfully.

"Hey, what was that!" Sirius yelled at them as he started laughing along with them. Cory started laughing as well.

Lily came forward and said counting out what she said on her fingers, "Alright, here are the teams; Remus, Quinn, Sirius and James, versus the best team of all time; Me, Cory, Bethany and Emma."

"Hey!" Quinn yelled at not being called the best.

"That's trash talk, Evans. Do you think you really want to go there?" Sirius said raising his eyebrows to her.

"Let's just start already!" Emma yelled and at that moment, they all bent down and grabbed as much snow as they could. As quickly as possibly, the snowball fight had begun.

About, eight pairs of wet robes, an order of twelve hot chocolates made and a treaty later, the friends found themselves back in the common room in front of the fire again. It really couldn't be decided who won the snowball fight because McGonagual came by and made them go in. After that, they made _The Treaty of Griffindor._ In the treaty, it said that the war would resume when both sides were ready and prepared. Drafts were not allowed. Each team had to use its original players.

It was around 12:30 when people started yawning. People took their leaves and soon it was just Sirius, Cory, Lily and James left in the common room. Lily was nearly dead asleep on James' shoulder and Cory lying across Sirius' chest in the same state as her best friend.

"Well…" James started to say and get up but Lily interrupted.

"Noooooo, you're ending the night! No, this is it." She said and sat up. "We won't see each other for two weeks!"

"Yea, your right." James said and looked around at the small group of people with him with sadness in his eyes.

"Merlin, we're going home tomorrow." Sirius said out loud as he looked at James. It was always hard for James and Sirius to leave each other because James was the only person Sirius could talk and tell anything to. He was the only one that knew about Sirius' family. It was also hard for Cory and Lily. They had been forced to be apart for so long and now to leave each other again wasn't fair. Only this time it was only two weeks not 10 months.

"I'm staying here. Whoopee." Cory said unenthusiastically.

Sirius looked down at her and said, "I wish I could stay with you…."

"I know." Cory replied and kissed him.

The next morning came too quickly for Cory's liking. She woke and went down to breakfast with Lily. They, apparently, were the last to come down from Griffindor. It made sense really; they stayed up to about three talking about anything and everything. But, to be honest, they really talked about James and Sirius. Little did they know that their boyfriends were doing the same thing at that time in their own dorm room. At breakfast, they sat in their usual spots and joined the conversation that was already in full swing.

An hour later Cory found herself at the Hogsmeade Station saying 'goodbye' to her friends. Sirius was the last person to board the train. Cory wasn't going to lie, she was sad. A whole two weeks without her friends. This was going to be awful. Luckily, she had caught James in the common room while Lily and Sirius were both still upstairs and got Sirius' address. James was a little shaky about giving it to her, but in the end, he gave it anyway.

On the tracks, Sirius took Cory's face in his hands and said, "Merry Christmas, Cory. I'll miss you more then you'll know."

With that, he kissed her and slowly lent back and walked away. She held on to his hand not wanting it let go and in the end had to. He got on the train and Cory felt a part of her get on the train as well. Sadness spread through as she headed back to the castle to nobody.


	15. Christmas and Information

**A/N: Well HELLO! Okay first things first. I'm soooooo sorry for this taking forever. I had this project to do and it took over my life. I'M SO SORRY! This chapter is the longest chapter I've ever written. I hope you enjoy it and keep reviewing! I don't have a whole lot coming up, so I should be able to write more soon! Also I will try and add more fun stuff to my chapters! The fun stuff will probably happen when they return to Hogwarts. Love always, padfootqueen!**

* * *

The snow had accumulated on the ground and trail leading back to Hogwarts. The frigid air nipped at Cory's face blowing its way past her to the east, swiping up little things off the ground and playing with them among the air. The sky was a stormy gray and they were supposed to get more snow later on that night. The sky color was very reflective of Cory's mood. Sad, low, depressed and most of all lonely. She was going to be alone for two whole weeks. That just wasn't fair. She brought her glove covered hands to her mouth and blew hot air on them to try and warm them a bit more. Her hands. They had been warm an hour ago in Sirius' hands. She had been warm an hour ago in Sirius' arms. Now she was cold and her warmth provider was on a train speeding towards his home. Home. That was something Cory had no idea about. Not her own, but his. Sirius never talked about his family. He sure didn't want to go back to them, Cory thought. He had said that he wanted to stay with her. Oh how she wished that he could have. What was his family like? Were they like him? Would they like her if they ever met? She didn't know anything about them. Little did she know that in time she wouldn't want to know them.

In the last hour, Cory had done things in Hogsmeade trying to postpone her journey back to the castle alone. She stopped in at the post office and made arrangements for all her Christmas presents to be sent. Overall she was very happy with her present selections.

For Lily, Cory made a necklace using of seashells from the beaches back in the States that Lily was so fond of. James was an easy guy to buy for. She got him something that he could use, a gift certificate to Zonko's. As for Remus, Cory got him a set of Moon Astrology books that he had been eyeing in a shop window. Quinn was getting a broom servicing gift that she would be more then happy to have. Bethany and Emma were gifts that she had a lot of fun buying. Emma's middle name was Sapphire, so Cory got her a pair of sapphire earrings. Bethany, though, got the fun gift. As a joke, Bethany and Cory joked around saying it would be fun to take a road trip once they graduate in two years. So, Cory bought her A Bad Girls Guide to the Open Road!.

But, it took Cory the longest to figure out what she wanted to get Sirius. He liked so many things. Though Cory wanted to give him something that would be important and sentimental. She thought of a picture of the two of them from that night after the snowball fight, but that didn't seem to be enough. Quidditch stuff seemed to be too unsentimental, and pranking was not cutting it. Then she had an idea. Sirius loved to talk. Just talk about things. He said once that letters took too long to get places and flooing was a pain in the ass. That was when she realized what she could get Sirius; a two way mirror. She would have one and so would he. It would be the perfect way to talk to one and other. Cory knew he would like it. Or at least she hoped he would.

After making the arrangements she went to a very empty Three Broomsticks and had some butterbeer. She was so sick of being alone there that she realized why be lonely in public when I can be lonely in private? So she left. Now she was making her way back up to Hogwarts wishing with every step she was with Sirius and her friends. But she wasn't. She was alone.

Finally, thank Merlin, she made her way back to Hogwarts. Freezing, she made he way to the Griffindor Tower. Upon entering, she saw that a few people had stayed behind. But, unfortunately, none of them she knew. There was a second year and a third year who were studying by the fire. When Cory walked in they looked up at her and the two younger boys smiled small smiles at her. She smiled a small smile back and went up stairs.

The girls' dorm was just so quiet and empty. It was eerie. She leaned back and fell on to her bed. She shut her eyes and tried not to, let the loneliness get to her.

About two hours later Cory woke up. She had fallen asleep. She got up and glanced at the clock. It was 6:30. She got off her bed and decided that she would leave early for dinner. Because not many people stayed at Hogwarts over break, there was just one table set up. She wasn't sure who had stayed at Hogwarts and who had left so she made her way down to find out. In the main hallway she stopped abruptly. Something wasn't right. There was this thing in her stomach. A bad feeling. Something was wrong. What was it? She thought for a little while then decided she would think about it after dinner. She entered the Great Hall and looked at how different everything was. The Hall looked strange without her fellow classmates running and yelling form table to table. The four house tables were gone and in its place was the single table.

Crossing the Hall she made her way over to the table. At it's head sat, none other then, Professor Dumbledore. To the Professors left sat a man Cory had never seem before. But when she looked into his eyes she felt like she had met him somehow. Next to him sat many professors. There was a side for professors and a side for students. Cory must have been the last to arrive. She had to start being more on time. Even though she left early she was still late. _Damn._

As she approached, she realized something. There was only one open seat. Due to her awful luck, it was between none other then Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy. Cory gagged. How was she going to eat when she had to sit next to a guy who never showered and a guy who tried to rape her? This was going to be a fun dinner. Yea right.

"Well now that we're all here, I would like to say Happy Christmas! Or perhaps I should say Happy Christmas Eve!", Dumbledore said in his usual cheerful voice. "I believe we are all just as hungry as each other, so let us eat!"

With that food was displayed on the table in all forms. As always it was delicious. Cory sat silently through dinner. For the first time in he life she felt small. She sat in-between the two Slytherin that were higher up then her. This of course pissed her off. She kept getting the feeling like something was wrong. It was the same feeling from before, but now she was compelled to think about it.

As much as she didn't want to think about it, she was a little scared. How could she be scared when Dumbledore was three seats away? Easy, just being near Lucius Malfoy could make anyone scared. Well except for a few people. Though sadly after that day by the lake, Cory was one of the people that was scared of him. She would have given anything in her world to have Sirius walk though the main doors right that second and take her away from him. Anything. But she knew he wouldn't.

Dinner ended and Cory got up with the rest of the students. Passing through the high doorway she stopped suddenly after she made her right turn to take her back to the Griffindor common room. There waiting for her was Lucius. She halted in her tracks.

Then at that moment just before Lucius was about to speak, a voice came from behind them. "Ms. Ash, could I please see you for a moment?"

She knew that voice. Turning around she saw her Headmaster standing there with a small smile on his face. _Thank Merlin!_ Cory nodded and followed her Headmaster down the hallway. That had been close. What would have happened could have been very bad for Cory. She shivered at the thought and tried to not think about it.

By that time they were in front of a large gargoyle. Dumbledore said, "Skittles."

She looked at him and down to his hands. Stupidly she thought he was offering her one or something. Then to her great surprise, suddenly the gargoyle moved and in its place were a set of stairs. Dumbledore smiled as she looked at him and gestured for her to go up them. Soon she was sitting in Dumbledore's office trying to take in the amount of things that were in it. All sorts of things hung off the walls and so many objects surrounded her that it would have taken her at least two years to look and think about every single one.

He sat across from her and looked at her over his half-moon spectacles. "Now you're probably wondering why you're here, correct?" Cory nodded. "Well, I have to know something. Before you came to us you stayed in foster care, correct?"

"Yes, sir." Cory responded wondering where he was going with this.

"Well, I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this but, last night there was an attack made on a muggle family in New York City. The family was your previous foster family."

He paused and the information that he had just divulged set into her mind. Her foster parents were attacked?

"They're dead, Cordelia."

Cory's head sprang up. She had been looking at the ground wondering whether to care or not and once he said those three words, she returned her attention to her headmaster. Had she heard him right? Dead?

"I'm sorry, but that was how the America magical police found them. I'm so sorry."

"No, you didn't kill them, so don't be sorry," Cory said. All she wanted was to run away from all this immediately. She felt like running to Sirius. He would comfort her. He would understand. He'd know what to do, because Cory sure as hell didn't. Sure, she had wished that they would pay for what they did to her, buy never had she wanted them to be killed. Yes, she strongly disliked them, but for them to be dead? She would never flat out say that she wanted someone to die. Be severely punished, yes. Locked away in prison, sure. But never death.

"I have to tell you something else as well. When the magical police got there, there was something there that made everything very complicated. It makes this conversation complicated. It makes your life now very complicated. Above the house where you use to live was the dark mark."

He paused again.

_So, _Cory thought, _he did it. Voldemort did it. He was after me. Me._

"Do you know-" Dumbledore began.

"Yes, Professor. I know what the dark mark is. I may have been raised in America, but I know what it is. I know what it means. It means that Voldemort killed them."

"You know who he is?"

"Yes, Headmaster. He killed my parents."

There was silence. Cory noticed something that she thought to be rather odd. When she mentioned her parents, Dumbledore closed his eyes, as if trying not to believe what she said. When he opened his eyes he looked down.

He spoke very softly, "You remember your parents' deaths?"

"Yes, sir."

"Do you know why Voldemort would attack your foster family, Cordelia?"

"Yes, sir. He said that he would come after me one day, I guess he's starting to now."

"Yes." Dumbledore said and then continued, "I understand that you're a unique, correct?"

Her wand less magic. "Yes, sir."

"Do you use it often?"

"No. I was told not to."

"Well, due to the situation I think that it would be best if you learned to control your powers, don't you?"

"Okay."

"Cordelia, you do know that your gift is very rare, correct?"

"Yes, supposedly I inherited it from my father."

Dumbledore nodded. "Parents often give their strong powers to their children. Your gift was from your father and your talent in Defense Against the Dark Arts, I believe comes form both your parents. You look very much like them, Cordelia, very much."

Cory's eyes widened. The way he was talking abut her parents was as if he knew them. But he couldn't of. She was about to ask him when a knock came from the door. In walked the stranger from the dinner. "Ahhh, Alastor.."

Cory stood up as Dumbledore did. She was still, however, lost in her own thoughts. He knew her parents? How?

"Albus." The man know as Alastor said.

"I'd like you to meet one of our newest students, Miss Cordelia Ash. Cordelia, this is Alastor Moody. He's a close friend of mine. Here to celebrate the holidays with me."

"Nice to meet you." he said and extended his hand. Cory shook it and tried to act normal while on the inside she was going crazy.

"Cordelia, we'll continue this conversation tomorrow. Good night."

Dumbledore dismissed her and she left the room feeling like she was in some sort of haze. What in the name of Merlin was going on?

Though her thoughts were rudely interrupted when a voice came from behind her and said, "So, what was that about?"

She turned and there he was again. Lucius Malfoy took a step towards Cory and she took one back away from him. She turned on her heel and started to the common room.

"You know," Lucius began falling into step with her, "we're very much alike."

"Really? Somehow I doubt that very much." Cory said trying to restrain herself from hitting him across the face.

"We are really. One way is by blood. You're pure and no matter how you spin it you always will be. The blood in your veins can save you, Cordelia. You're making a mistake by making friends with blood traitors and such. It's a mistake you can fix very easily if you just see the light."

"Light? Really? That's interesting because I always thought it was dark."

They had reached the Great Hall and Snape was there waiting for them.

"Lucius, come." he said and gestured towards the staircase that lead to the dungeons.

"Just a minute, Snape." he said then yelled across the Hall to Cory, who was now on the other side because she kept walking. "You know, one day you will be mine. Pure bloods belong with pure bloods. It's the way things are! Even if you won't see it, you will join us. All pure bloods at one point or another turn evil. Or _black_!"

He put specific exaggeration on the last word. Cory stopped. The last word echoed through her mind. She turned to face Malfoy and Snape, but when she turned she saw that no one was there.

* * *

Sirius Black descended from the train with his friends and wished he could just stay on board. People were running towards their families and friends with smiles displayed across their happy faces. Sirius looked for his parents but couldn't see them. It would be great if they weren't here! On the train James had said that he could come and stay with him and if his parents weren't here, then he would.

Soon it was just him and James. They had said their goodbyes to friends and were just standing there looking for their parents.

"James!" Came a voice from the crowd and they looked over at it. There was Mr. Potter. Both male Potters were very close and James' face brightened when he saw his father.

"Dad!" James yelled back. Mr. Potter came forward and hugged his son tightly. Then he saw Sirius. Mr. Potter loved his son's best friend. He thought Sirius was a great guy and had the best sense of humor.

"Sirius!" He said and hugged his son's best friend.

"Honestly, Sirius, sometimes I think my Dad likes you more then me!" James said with a bright smile on his face.

They all laughed and then another voice came from the crowd. "Sirius."

It was a firm voice from a tall man clad in robes as dark as his soul. Tynan Black. Sirius' smile fell from his face. He starred at his father. He looked a lot like his father and that plagued him. He hated looking like him. It proved they were related.

"Father." Sirius said and pulled away from the Potters.

"Tynan." James' father said to the other man.

"Atticus." Tynan responded with a nod. Tynan surveyed his son, then nodded saying, "Let's go."

Sirius nodded and he turned to face his best friend.

"Goodbye, Sirius." Atticus said giving Sirius a one arm hug around the shoulders.

"Bye…." Sirius said back to him and faced his best friend. This was the part that the best friends had been dreading the most. "Riiiiight, wellll……"

"We'll be seeing each other soon." James said trying to hide his sorrow and sadness.

"Yea. It's just two weeks." Sirius replied talking like this was nothing to him.

"Exactly, it's nothing."

"Yea, nothing…" Their game of trying to make themselves think it wouldn't hurt saying goodbye failed.

The two best friends hugged and then pulled back. James said in a low voice to Sirius in the hug, "If he does anything, tell me."

Sirius nodded and then turned away. He looked at his father and then followed him out to the train station and towards hell a.k.a. home.

Someone screamed. Sirius shot out of bed. It was nighttime, around one in the morning. He looked around his room wildly trying to find out what was wrong. There was another scream and this time it came from downstairs. Sirius recognized that scream. It was Regulus. Granted, Sirius wasn't fond of his brother, but he still wanted to protect him. As Sirius ran down the stairs he could hear crying and a lot of yelling. It was coming from in the kitchen. He ran in and there was his whole family. His mother was standing and so was his father, they were fighting over something. In the corner rolled up into a tiny ball was Regulus.

"….well maybe if you had said something!" His father yelled his eyes burning with anger.

"What! What could I have said, Tynan?" His mother screamed back at him.

Sirius just stood in the doorway trying not to believe what he was seeing. Was this what it was always like when he was gone?

"Sirius!"

Sirius broke gaze and stare that he was having with his parents fight and looked over to where the voice had come from. Regulus had called him and was running over to him. Regulus collided with Sirius' legs and wrapped his arms around Sirius' lower back. He was crying.

Sirius used his voice and asked his parents, "What's going on?"

"Get out of here, you worthless piece of shit! What are doing!" His mother screamed at him and Sirius looked down at Regulus. He took Regulus and tried to get him off himself. Sirius thought that Regulus wouldn't want to go with him. Honestly, his little brother acted as if he hated him the whole time. But when Sirius tried to get him off, he just held on tighter.

His mother and father went back to their fighting. Sirius thought he should straighten some things out.

He kneeled down in front of his six year old brother and said to him, "What do you want to do?"

The young boy shrugged. Sirius sighed.

"Either you stay with Mommy and Daddy or you come with me? Which one?"

Regulus seemed to be thinking this through. Sirius studied his brother. In the four months they had been apart, Reg had changed. The normal things hadn't changed but two things were very hard for Sirius to miss. One was his eyes. It was the Black male trait; they showed all emotion through their eyes. His eyes had changed. They were never filled with fear before. Never. He was always listening to what his parents said and repeating it. It seemed that in the four months Sirius' had been gone, things had changed. He wondered how and why? The second was that ever since Sirius had come home, Reg was never in a room Sirius wasn't in. Even when he went up stairs to bring his trunk up, Reg had followed and just watched him unpack. Sirius had thought it strange, but now….he wasn't sure.

"You," was his final decision. His brother had chosen to stay with Sirius and not his parents. This never happened.

Still squatting, Sirius said, "Alright, let's go."

With that Sirius started to walk away, expecting Reg to follow him. He didn't. When Sirius saw him do this he thought he must have changed his mind. Instead, Reg did something that Sirius thought a lot of normal younger brothers did, he held up his arms to be carried by his older brother. Shocked, Sirius bent down and picked up his brother, letting him lean against his chest.

They left the kitchen and went up the stairs. As Sirius climbed the stairs he thought of how much he really did hate this house. The smell of it. The look of it. Everything. The way the stairs creaked. The house elves. But most of all the memories.

"Why do they do that?"

Sirius looked down at his brothers tear stained face. "What do you mean, Reg?"

By now they had reached Reg's room. Sirius set his brother down onto his bed as Regulus said, "Why do Mommy and Daddy fight all the time? What did I do?"

Sirius stopped. He had been picking up something that was on the floor, but he stopped. Regulus thought his parent's fighting was his fault.

"Reg…..in no way is mom and dad's fighting your fault. No way. You didn't do anything. They're just…a little messed up right now."

He didn't know how else to explain it. What could he say to his brother? That they were bad people and pretty much hated each other half the time? No he couldn't say that.

The small voice continued, "But why?"

"I don't know, Reg." Sirius turned off his brother's light and whispered, "Good night, Regulus."

"What!" Regulus said alarmed. He started to look around franticly, "Where are you going?"

"I was going to go to sleep…" Sirius said and looked at his brother who turning awfully clingy.

"Don't go…what if they come in here and start to fight?"

Sirius knew that his parents would never fight in Regulus' room, but he still said to his brother from his doorway, "Fine, do you want to stay with me?"

Regulus shot out of his bed and ran into Sirius' room. Sirius sighed and shut his brother's door so his parents would think that he was asleep. He went to his room and saw his brother already in his bed. All Sirius could think was, _Well this is turning out to an interesting Christmas holiday….._

The next morning came and Sirius got dragged downstairs by his now completely inseparable younger brother. Regulus got all the presents as usual and Sirius pretended to be excited with him about his gifts. After all the presents were presents were opened, five owls pecked at the window. Tynan went to the window and opened it. They flew in and landed next to Sirius. He bent forward and untied their packages. To his great surprise they were all addressed to him. He smiled.

"Open them! Open them!" Regulus yelled eager to see what his brother had gotten.

"Alright…" Sirius wasn't going to lie, he really thought that his parents would take his presents away, but they didn't. He was going to pay for this later.

Two Zonko's gift certificates, a set of How to Prank and Not Get Caught books and a broom services kit later, Sirius was on his last present. He had saved it for last and he reached for it. But, Regulus grabbed it and took the card.

"Regulus, give that to me." He said warningly. He knew who it was from. It had to be from the only person who hadn't sent him one yet; Cory.

"What does it say?" He ran over to his father. _Shit._ Was all Sirius could think.

His father took the present and opened the card. "It says," he began, " 'Sirius, Use your brain and figure out what this is. When you figure it out, use it. Merry Christmas! Love, Cordelia'. Whose Cordelia, Sirius?"

His father looked at him with eyes that showed anger. How was he going to explain this without getting in trouble for dating a girl who was a pureblood but didn't care? Shit, he was screwed.

He opened his mouth to speak, but his brother spoke first, "Is that Cordelia Ash?"

Sirius whipped his head and gaze to his brother. _How does he know that?_ "What did you just say!"

"Cordelia Ash. She's that new girl at Hogwarts that Lucius was dating, right? Adrian said that."

Adrian? Then Sirius remembered. Lucius' younger brother was Adrian Malfoy who was Regulus' best friend. Great. Yea right. Was all the gossip of Hogwarts rotated around the pureblood families? Merlin, he hoped not.

"Regulus, did you say Ash?" His father said in a soft, dangerous voice. Why was his father asking this.

"Yes, I believe he did, Tynan." His mother said in the same tone. His parents looked at each other then did something that caused Sirius to feel nauseous; they turned and smiled at him.

"Sirius, are you dating Cordelia Ash?" Tynan said to his son.

How should he answer this? If he lied they would find out and he would be in serious trouble. If he told the truth he could get in serious truth as well. He decided to just tell the truth.

"Yes, I am." He waited for a response. Did he just make the biggest mistake of his life?

"Really?" His mother said with a growing smile.

"Ahhh, yea." Sirius said uncertainly. _This can't be good…_

"An Ash!" Tynan said with actual happiness in his voice. "Oh, Merlin. Finally Sirius you see the light! An Ash! Imagine, my son with an Ash. Just think, dear if she's not like her idiot parents, then she'll be perfect!"

"I know, love! This is perfect. Oh, Sirius!" His mother responded with equal happiness as his father.

"How do you know Cory's parents?" Sirius said with the most surprise he had ever felt. His mouth made an 'o' shape and his eyes were the size of quarters.

"She must be Aidan and Ophelia's daughter. They were very powerful. Idiots, but powerful. They didn't join up with the Dark Lord. So, the Dark Lord had them killed very long ago. But, they had a daughter, supposedly a very powerful one as well." his father said.

Cory's parents were dead? _WHAT!_ This was too much. She never told him this. Needless to say, Sirius' head was spinning.

His mother picked up where her husband had left off. "But, no one knows what side she supports. Oh, Tynan, imagine if it's dark!"

"It must be, dear, if dated a Malfoy." His father said. "You picked a good girlfriend, Sirius. We should meet her."

This was just plain weird. What the hell was going! They thought that Cory was a dark witch? _Ha, they'd freak when they meet her._ _Wait, no way are they meeting her._ He didn't want Cory to meet his screwed up family. They'd probably try to corrupt her.

"No." Sirius said shaking his head. "No way in hell are you meeting her. She's a good witch. When I say good, I mean that there's no way she'd ever fight for the Dark Lord. No way. She's good."

He walked over to his father and took his present from Cory. His father was in such a state of shock that he didn't even notice. His father and mother thought that their son had finally joined the Dark side. But he hadn't and he had been so close in their minds to being the perfect son.

Sirius left the room and went up stairs. He sat on his bed and thought for a long time. He thought of Cory's parents and how they died. How maybe Cory looked like them. If she did, which one? Were they what she dreamed of? He wanted to know. He suddenly wanted to know everything about Cordelia Ash. Every single thing he could.

His door creaked and his head snapped up to see who was there. It was Regulus.

"I'm sorry I said something…" He said in a small voice trying to dig his foot into the floor. He was nervous, obviously.

"Don't worry about. They would have found out eventually. Cory and I are going to be staying together for a while. At one point or another they would have seen her or met her." Sirius said. His brother further entered his room and sat next to him on his bed.

"What did she get you?" he asked eyeing the object still wrapped up in Sirius' hands. Sirius looked down to his hands. He had been in such deep thought that he hadn't even opened at it yet. Slowly, he ripped away the paper. There in his hands was a mirror. That was it. He looked at the card again and tried to think what it was. Regulus asked him after he got a good look at it, "What is that?"

"I'm not sure…." Sirius answered and thought about what was in his hands.

* * *

Cory woke to the sound of laughter. She followed the noise and soon found herself in the common room. There were two younger boys opening presents. Smiling Cory went further down the stairs and said to them, "Good morning! Merry Christmas!"

The younger one said in a cheer filled voice, "Morning! Happy Christmas, Cordelia!"

"Hey! Happy Christmas! Those are for you. They came earlier this morning," the older boy said with bliss on his face and pointed to the left side of the fireplace. She sat down on the ground next to the two boys and followed in doing what the other two boys were doing; opening presents. By now Cory had learned that the third year's name was Mark and the second year's name was Chaz. They were nice and it seemed to Cory that Chaz had a little thing for her. Cory couldn't wait to tell Sirius. He'd probably go and threaten the poor kid if he ever looked at her.

She opened all her presents and with each one she got more cheerful. From Lily she got a Hanna Kit which Cory had been wanting for a long time. When she reached for her second gift she smiled when she saw it was from James. Upon opening it, she burst out into laughter. Her fellow present openers asked her why she was laughing and she handed the present over. They looked at it. It was a book. But it wasn't just a book. The title was Everything You Need To Know About Quidditch by James Potter with a forward by Sirius Black. Everyone started laughing and Cory moved on to her next gift. It was an other book, and surprise surprise it was from Remus. This one was Quidditch Through The Ages. She had yet to need it so this was a good gift. Another marauder gave her a picture. It was a wizard picture of Quinn and herself in their Quidditch uniforms. They were both smiling up at her and would pause to look at each other briefly then Quinn would say something and they both would laugh. After laughing they would enter their attention back to the camera. Emma gave her a set of colored inks that she couldn't wait to use. Bethany got her possibly the biggest pair of dark sunglasses which was a joke between the two of them. They thought that it would be fun if they could stare at people without them knowing it. With these she could stare at anything one and they wouldn't know. But by far the last gift was the best. It was from Sirius. She took the card first and opened it. It read; 'Cordelia, I thought I'd show you what I do when I'm not with you and missing you. Which all the time we're apart. All my love, Sirius'.

The gift was quite large and as she pulled back the paper she gasped. It was a frame with a portrait of herself. But it wasn't a normal portrait. It was her exact reflection. Her face was turned to the side and she was looking down. Her hair was in a loose bun and some of it was hanging out and gracing her shoulders and face. There was a smile on her lips and she wore an off the shoulder sweater.

"Wow…" Cory said in a soft voice and drifted off. She was so taken aback by how much the drawing resembled herself. It was remarkable. She never knew that Sirius could draw! Come to think of it, she didn't know a whole lot about Sirius. She knew the way he leaned forward when he laughed and she knew how he could remember facts from History of Magic without even taking notes. But she didn't know what his favorite color was or what his favorite food was. There was a lot she needed to know and that she wanted to know.

An owl pecked at the window and Chaz got up to let it in. It flew over to Cory and she untied the note from it's legs. She opened the note and read what it said. 'Cordelia, At one o'clock please come to my office. Happy Christmas, Professor Dumbledore'. Cory thought about this. What could he want? Was this about her parents?

One o'clock came and Cory left the dormitory and went towards the Headmasters office. She knew her way around Hogwarts quite well by now and felt at home inside its walls. She finally reached the gargoyle statue and she realized she didn't know the password. But like the gargoyle was waiting for her, it opened up and the stairs appeared. Traveling up the stairs she made her way to the Headmasters office. She knocked twice and waited for a reply. She didn't have to wait very long. A voice came from the other side of the door and said, "Come in."

Opening the door she entered the office that amazed her in so many ways. "Happy Christmas, Cordelia! I'm glad you could come!" Her energetic Headmaster stood up and gestured for her to sit in a seat. She followed his gesture and sat. "Now you're probably wondering why you're here. Well I was wondering if we could continue the conversation that we were having yesterday. Alright?"

"Sure." She said nodding her head for her Headmaster to continue.

"Now yesterday we were about to discuss your talents, correct?" She nodded and he continued, "I believe that because of Voldemort's rise and his wanting for you that you should learn to control your powers of being unique. How do you feel about this?"

"I think it's a good idea, Headmaster. But, how can I learn to control it better?"

"I can teach you. You will come here every other day for lessons. Every night. How's that?"

"That's fine. Thank you." Cory was a little shocked that she would be under the tutelage of one of the greatest wizards of all time.

"How about we do a little bit now?" The older wizard questioned.

Cory thought. She had no where to go, why not. "Sure, why not?"

The Headmaster grinned and stood. Cory followed his suit and stood as well. "Right, let's start small." He picked up a gold paper weight from his desk and placed it openly on his palm. "Summon this."

Cory rolled her neck letting it crack and she took off her zip up sweat shirt. She placed it on the chair and rose her arm. Opening her hand she said firmly, "Accio ball."

The ball flew out of his hand and into Cory's. She smiled and tossed the ball up and down and from hand to hand. Dumbledore smiled and said, "Very good, Cordelia."

For the next two hours, they did various spells and Cory completed each one of them without any problems.

"You're doing very well Cordelia. I must admit that I'm surprised. Don't be offended, but when you said that you didn't use your powers often, I thought they would be under developed. I see that I was wrong. You're quite powerful for a young witch. It can take a witch or wizard much longer to do a simple spell without a wand when they're a unique. Only the highly powerful ones can do them right away. Very good work!"

Cory beamed. She couldn't believe how well she did. She never knew that all uniques couldn't do as powerful magic as she. She was about to speak when someone knocked at the door. Dumbledore said loud enough for the person to hear, "Come in."

In walked Alastor Moody. "I'm sorry I'm late Albus-" But he stopped when he saw Cordelia sitting there. "Ah, Miss Ash, how nice to see you again."

Cory smiled. "Hello, again. I'll leave. Merry Christmas."

With that she left the room. She felt bad imposing on the meeting they were going to have. She hugged her shoulders when she felt the cold air hit her arms. Then it hit her, her sweatshirt she had left it back in Dumbledore's office! She turned back and headed for the office. She thought of what Dumbledore had said yesterday to make the stairs appeared and repeated it, "Skittles."

To her great surprise the gargoyle moved out of the way. She climbed the stairs but stopped when she heard the conversation on the other side of the door.

"…first saw her, I thought I was looking at the girl version of Aidan!"

"Yes, I thought the same. She has all Aidan's and Ophelia's talents. It's quite remarkable. She plays Quidditch and could probably give both of them a run for their money. But, Alastor, I wonder just how much she remembers about that night?"

"I was thinking the same thing, Albus. I don't know if I could bear for her to have the memory of their deaths plaguing her mind. It's not right, Albus."

"That's just what I think too."

They were talking about her. Cory suddenly felt dizzy. They knew her parents. She looked like them. They must have been friends of her parents. They were discussing that night. They had to have been talking about the night her parents died. This was too much. Cory ran down the stairs and to the girls dorm room with a million things swirling through her mind, just like her boyfriend.


	16. Note of apology

Dear all those who bother to read my stories,

Please excuse my awful lateness. My life has just been so busy and every time I try to write, I just get stuck. The juices are in no way flowing. I'm soooooo sorry about this and I hope I'll update soon. I have four pages written but I know you guys like em' long so I'll wait and write more. If any of you have any ideas please review them to me because I need HELP! Again, sorry. Please forgive me.

Love Always,

Padfootqueen


	17. Azkaban STOP THINKING THAT!

AN: HEY! I'm sorry this took me forever. When I sent out my last note, people responded saying that they didn't care how long the next chapter was, they just wanted it. So here it is. All four pages of it. I hope you enjoy. I kind of have the juices flowing again, so maybe I'll post soon! Thanks for reading! REVIEW &THANKS! Love always padfootqueen.

"Expecto patronum!"

White mist floated out of Cory's hand. It hung around and pulsed out white light. Then it took its shape. A beautiful, luminous phoenix flew around Dumbledore's Office. It curved around the hangings and swooped down to the floor and then raced to the ceiling. Slowly, then it withered into nothing.

Cory was at her last lesson before the Christmas break and had been working on the Patronus Charm. Dumbledore had informed her that Voldemort had many dark creatures that followed him. If a war started, one of the first creatures to join him would be dementors. Cory had only heard of dementors before, she had never seen one or heard a lot about them. She only knew that they were dark and could suck out a person's soul. Cory thought about how these creatures were allowed to even be in the wild. They sounded awful. To Cory, a person's soul was the most important thing. It made them who they were. Without your soul, you're just a shell of what you were. A person with no feeling or understanding. In many ways, as Dumbledore had put it, similar to a dementor itself. Cory's opinion was that no one deserved that.

"That was excellent, Cordelia! Brilliant!" Her jovial professor told her once her Patronus had disappeared. "Given your age, that was absolutely amazing! Very advanced magic like I had told you in the beginning of class."

Cory smiled. She was so happy with herself. In the last two weeks she had completed so much. Her magic was improving brilliantly and she felt like she could take on the world. Countless numbers of spells she had done without any hesitation and some gave her trouble, but after a few times of practicing them, she could do them without a problem. She had now completed very advanced magic and she felt even better about herself. Though one of her previous thoughts weighed down her brain. _Where were these dementors now?_

Dumbledore had now sat down and was smiling as he gestured for her to sit as well. Cory's smile had slightly faded once she started thinking about where the dementors might be.

Dumbledore noticed this and asked his student, "Cordelia, is something wrong?"

His smile had faded and concern played through his eyes. Cory was wondering about her question and decided who better to ask than Dumbledore?

"Headmaster, where are the dementors? I know how to fight them now, but where would I encounter one?" Cory asked voicing her questions.

Dumbledore's expression turned grave. He sat back against his chair and looked at Cordelia with an odd expression. That great twinkle had gone into hiding and this worried Cory greatly.

His voice was soft when he spoke, "Cordelia, do you know of Azkaban?"

_Azkaban?_ Cory's head repeated. "No, Headmaster, I don't. What is it?'

"Azkaban is a wizard prison set off on an island surrounded by a rough ocean that can claim any life. Witches and wizards are sent there and with in a month, they go insane."

"Why do they go insane?" Cory asked wanting her headmaster to continue after abruptly stopping.

"The guards of Azkaban are dementors. When a dementor gets near you every happy thought gets sucked out of you. Your pain is their power. The worst things in your life come back to you. Every nightmare, every traumatic experience, everything that caused you pain, floods back into your mind. There's no escaping it. There are thousands of dementors at Azkaban. A prisoner there is forced to think about their past disturbances everyday and so after thinking of nothing but pain and agony for so long, they go mad. There aren't many walls in Azkaban, they aren't needed. Each prisoner is locked in the confines of their own minds. Kept in darkness and insanity. No one ever can escape from Azkaban. They're all too mad to even comprehend an intelligent thought. They can never escape. That is what keeps many at peace in the outside world. They know that the worst of society are being punished and never will be released. Azkaban is one of the most terrifying and awful places in existence. I hope you never have to see it."

Dumbledore finished and looked at Cordelia for her reaction. She stared at her headmaster. Thousands of things whirled through her head. Dementors, pain, insanity, prison, they all lingered in her head. Pressuring her to think of the worst. But the last line of his speech stayed with her the most. _I hope you never have to see it._ She didn't want to ever see that place. She never wanted to feel that pain or coldness. She knew what memories the dementor would make her see. She'd see her parents, her foster family, all those pain filled, harsh realities of her life. She could not bear to have to face those recollections again. She lived through them once. That was enough.

"Cordelia?"

Cory's head snapped up and she looked into the blue worried eyes of Albus Dumbledore.

"Yes?" She said somewhat breathlessly. Only then did she realize that with all her insecurities repeating themselves in her head, she was panting.

"Are you alright?" He slightly moved forward in his chair and peered at her over his half moon spectacles.

She took a deep breath and answered his awaiting question, "Yes." She paused then asked, "How did they even get the idea for that place?"

_Who could even think of that idea for such a place?_

"It was founded a long time ago, before you or even I had been born. It's just a prison that over time has become worse and worse."

Cory nodded her head trying to understand and trying to rid her head of the past.

"I'm sorry, Cordelia, if I upset you. When you asked I realized that you should know the truth, no matter how evil it really is."

She nodded again and said, "Thank you for telling me, Headmaster. Not to be rude, but are we done for today?"

"Yes, I believe we are. Have a good night Cordelia."

Cory left and headed off to the common room. Azkaban was on her mind and it wasn't leaving it anytime soon. Hallway after hallway she journeyed down. Thought after thought clogged her mind. She stayed in deep thought untill she reached her desired destination; the portrait hole. Speaking the password, she entered the common room and crossed to the staircase.

Sirius dragged the cold, wet cloth over his arm for the fortieth time and then placed it back in the water already drawn in the sink. The water had abandoned its original clear color for the color of red, the color of blood. Sirius' blood.

It was the last day of 'vacation' and ever since Christmas, his life had been hell. His father had obviously not been too happy when he did later research into Cory. Somehow, he had found out who Cory really was and just how much of a good witch she was. It freaked Sirius out to the maximum level that his father could find things out about his girlfriend.

What his father learned seemed to light a fire into him. He was the most angry Sirius had ever seen him when he returned that night. He had a file with everything in it. Her foster parents names and address, her grades from Pengelum and from Hogwarts. Even receipts from places where she recently bought things. One good thing was that Sirius found out what the gift he got was. It was a two way mirror. He didn't have necessarily time to really think about what he could do with it because soon after that all his thoughts were on how to survive. His father took to hitting him and things of that nature practically every night. His parents had apparently thought that if Sirius was with a pureblood that he must be turning. They obviously didn't realize that you didn't have to be a pureblood and follow the Dark Lord's way of thinking.

Sirius drained the water from the sink and watched it swirl down. Looking up, he looked into his mirror. Grimacing at his appearance, he pulled the mirror back and took out the healing salve. He carefully applied it to his face and then the rest of his body. His father had managed to get all of his body in his beatings. After he was done, Sirius got up from the side of the bathtub where he was sitting and winced as he felt his muscles ache. His whole body ached and all he felt like doing was just going to sleep right then and there and never waking up. He left the bathroom and went back to his bedroom. _This is it, the last night then I'm back to Hogwarts._ He just kept repeating that to himself. Sirius needed to get out of that house and fast. He couldn't stand it anymore. Turning towards his door, he locked it. Sirius couldn't deal with anything tonight. All he wanted to do was sleep. So he did.

_Cory was on an island. There were jagged rocks and waves crashed upon them with a vengeance. She had no idea where she was. A storm was brewing above her and she looked up into the clouds as if maybe they would give her an answer. They didn't. _

_Then from behind her she heard yelling. There was a building. It was all gray stone and there were barred windows with pale, white faces gazing out of them. Those faces. Were they even faces? Could they be ghosts? No, they looked solid but just barely. Where was she? _

_Now she started to hear things. At first it was only waves, then she heard more. But she wished she didn't. Screaming. Terrified screaming. She looked around and saw that some of the people in the windows were screaming. They looked absolutely insane. Where was she? _

_She heard a voice. She knew that voice. Turning left she saw something that she knew she would never possibly forget. There was a gate. It was made of cold black iron and went from it's archway down to the ground. It was open. At each side of it were tall black figures. What were they? _

_As the first rain drop hit her so did realization. Azkaban. Oh Merlin. Dementors. Then she saw something that made her snap out of bed screaming, panting hard and her eyes the size of quarters._

_Sirius._

_He was there. Being dragged in._

"SIRIUS! SIRIUS!"

Her dream ended.


	18. The Great Escape

**AN:** There is no excuse and there are no words to express how sorry I am to you guys. I can't believe how long it has taken me to get this out. I deeply apologize. I will be going a way for a week but I'm going to work as hard as I can to get the next chapter out soon. Again my apologies. Love Always, padfootqueen.

**PS.- IF YOU DID NOT READ THE AUTHORS NOTE AND YOU ARE A SERIOUS READER OF MY STORY, GO BACK AND READ IT!**

* * *

Sirius Black was annoyed. He was many hours away from Hogwarts and all he felt like doing was curling up on the couch in front of the fire with his girlfriend and being surrounded by his friends. But instead he was sitting at his kitchen table at the ungodly hour of 7:30 in the morning with his family. He quickly finished his breakfast of two pieces of toast and left to go to his bedroom.

Sirius was not eating well at all. He even knew it. He wasn't doing it on purpose or anything. But couldn't seem to bring himself to eat. Every time he ate, he got this sickly feeling. He didn't know why.

Actually that wasn't entirely the truth. He had somewhat of an idea. His stomach problems could have something to do with the five hard punches his father had delivered to his stomach two nights ago, because ever since then he couldn't eat very much of anything. In all truth, that wasn't even the worst of the hitting that occurred over Christmas break.

He couldn't take this house anymore. He was getting delirious of walking up and down the same hallways all the time and staring at the same spot on the wall just next to his mother's head when she started yelling at him. But he had to get through this day and the next morning and then finally he would be back at Hogwarts. Praise Merlin!

The day passed as slow as if it was ten years instead of just a day. Finally it was dinner and all Sirius could do was pray he wouldn't get beaten so badly tonight.

That night Sirius ate barely anything. He knew he should eat but he couldn't do it. First, he was nervous. The only thing Sirius had ever been afraid of was his father. In truth, his father terrified him worst then any other human could. Screw Voldemort and his followers, yes, they were a freaky, but the only thing that could chill his blood was his father. Sirius had only had the guts to tell one person this and that was James. And that was because back in their first year they had sworn to each other that they would keep no secrets from each other. Second, he really wasn't hungry. He knew it wasn't normal, but what could he do? Was he sick? Did he have one of those eating disorders people have sometimes? He knew if he ate anything he wouldn't throw it up, he ruled the eating disorders out, but the question of his eating problems still reminded. He was getting thinner, he could feel it. He didn't want people to notice this. Especially not his friends. It would freak them out to the extreme level. He didn't feel like doing that to them. Besides, his friends had problems of there own. Remus had his werewolf problems which was enough for him. Quinn was practically taking care of Remus after the last full moon had left him extremely weak. James was, well, James. He had a new problem every day. Lily, Emma and Bethany were friends but he wasn't exactly close with them. As for Cory, she and James would probably be there first to notice. That was bad. He couldn't let Cory notice. She would freak. He knew it. And also, Cory had a whole lot of problems herself. She had those reoccurring dreams that Sirius had no idea what were about. He really had to find out more about his girlfriend. More them his parents at least. A shiver passed through Sirius' body. It still freaked Sirius out that his father could find stuff out so easily about Cory. Cory absolutely had problems that she needed help with and Sirius wanted to be the person to help her. He knew that he was being a hypocrite about this situation and he, for the first time in a long time, felt himself smile. He wanted to help Cory with her problems and Cory would want to help him with his but he knew he wouldn't let her. _Merlin, I'm a head case._ Sirius laughed in his head about how incredibly odd he was but then stopped when he noticed something. His mother. _Shit. _She had started yelling at him. Sirius had become very good at ignoring his mother and used his skill then to tune about whatever she was yelling about this time. He would start to think about all the good things in his life and completely ignore her.

"….how could you? Honestly…."

_James. His best friend, someone who he trusted beyond anyone else._

"….you have to learn ….stop being so useless!"

Remus and Quinn. Two of his absolute closest friends. Sirius smiled on the inside as he thought of how great they were together.

"….such a mistake…..completely stupid….a disgrace…."

Cory. Her smile. Her laugh. Her odd handwriting. The way her lips were perfect. How her hands fit perfectly in his.

Finally she stopped. Sirius got up from the table looked around at his completely fucked up family and left. Why did things always have to be messed up? Why did everything have to be such hell all the time? Why did his parents hate him so much! Nothing ever made any sense!

Sirius was fuming. He was angry at his parents. At himself for letting himself be affected by them. Just angry in general. He had finally had enough. The peace that his friends had brought him left completely now and was just replaced by his extreme fury.

Sirius had to get out of this house. If he wanted to His brain started to formulate a plan that was looking faultless. He would go back to Hogwarts tonight. By way of floo he would go to the Room of Requirement. No one would be using it at the hour he planned to leave. Well hopefully no one. With the happy thought of leaving, Sirius started to pack. Roughly he threw robes, books, parchment, everything, into his trunk. Finally he was all packed and he headed down stairs. He went to living and as he grabbed the floo powder just as his parents came into the room.

"What are you doing!" His mother screeched anger contorting her face. Sirius didn't even stop he just looked up and shook his head. Did honestly not know he was trying to leave.

But obviously his father caught onto what he was doing and spoke. "Get away from there now Sirius." His father said in a low cold voice that sent a familiar chill through Sirius' blood.

"No." Sirius said gathering his courage. With renewed confidence he continued, "I'm leaving. I'm going back to Hogwarts early, don't ask how I am but I am and you don't need to know. So till summer holiday, goodbye." Sirius then in a louder voice said, "Room of Requirement, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

He threw the powder in and was gone.

Sirius landed on the floor of the Room of Requirement with a loud thump. Coughing up some soot, he started dust himself off. He stood up and looked around, Sirius was wondering what the room would give him. A true smile spread across his face. He was in the room that was given to him when he and Cory had come here for the first time. Sirius set his stuff down and moved towards the bed. He didn't realize just how tried he was till then. He considered going back to the common room seeing Cory, but what if someone who knew he went home for the holidays saw him? He could get into a whole lot of trouble. Which normally he didn't care about, but the thought that maybe he would be sent back to his parents made him make his final decision of just staying in the room of requirement for the night.

Sirius peeled back the sheets and slide under them into their welcoming warmth. Within seconds, Sirius Black was asleep feeling much more content then he had when he started the day.

* * *

Sweat poured out of her body. Her hands were shaking. She gripped the covers and held onto them like a leaf on a tree. Outside snow was falling heavily. The wind was whistling and was causing the trees in the Forbidden Forest to blow in every which direction. Cory couldn't catch her breath. Air left her in short little spurts and then re-entered raggedly. Thousands of things were rushing through her head. Her dream kept repeating in her head over and over again like a song on repeat. Certain parts of the dream were more dominant then others. They were the ones that caused her to shake uncontrollably on her bed. Flashes of them ran through her head and she shook even more.

The waves.

The faces.

The gates.

The dementors.

Sirius.

She shivered even more. Why was he there? It didn't seem right. Thinking back on it, Sirius looked older. Was this just a dream? Was it one of her insecurities coming through to her in dream form? Even though Cordelia had on all her covers, she still shivered profusely. A cold that she had only ever felt once was spreading through her rapidly. It went through her veins freezing them and causing an icy eruption in her chest. She felt as though she had been kept under freezing water for a long period of time and she was just released.

Cordelia was anxious. She had never had such a feeling of confusion and cold in her before. She had had the cold before, but not the confusion. More cold water dropped over her, the only time she had ever felt this cold was when her parents died and those men carried her away. Her knees came to her chest and she bent forward gripping her hair in frustration. She never could remember what those men looked like. Only robes and a warm comforting embrace as she was lifted from the floor into a man's safe arms. Then a soft voice whispering in her ear hushing her and telling her that it was okay. Somehow that it would be.

Flashes of her parents death and it's aftermath pulled through her mind. Faces of the people at the hospital where she was bought to have a check over before going to the foster care agency. The woman at the desk of the agency that had a smile on her face. Then her first foster family. All the others followed, each one worse then the previous.

She couldn't keep doing this. This breaking down and thinking about the past. In the last couple of months, she had been thinking more and more about the past. It wasn't going to do any good. Her parents were dead. Voldemort killed them. Her foster parents were awful to her and made her feel like shit everyday and she couldn't undo time to change them. Now the Vanes were dead. Voldemort killed another group of people that were associated with her. She couldn't do anything about it. The past was in the past and the sooner she could just relax and accept things, she could be better. But there was one nagging thought that never left her mind. _Voldemort went after the Vanes that were close to me, what if he went after other people that were close to me? What if he went after Lily? Or Sirius? Or James? Bethany? Remus? Flo? Emma?_ Cory's eyes that had been stilly starting to droop down because of sleep snapped open. She could not lose her friends. Scratch that, she _would not_ lose her friends. They were all she had. They were, in many ways, her family. Cory shivered at the thought of living with out them. Besides Lily, she had only met them all four months ago and was already close with them. The thought of losing them scarred her more them even facing Voldemort himself.

Cordelia needed to relax. She could not go getting all paranoid, that wasn't going to help her. She was strong and could do anything. She could do this.

* * *

Cory had until five o'clock in the afternoon to wait until. She had until five o'clock to wait for her best friend, boyfriend and closest friends to finally come back.. Lily was supposed to come back sooner but she couldn't because her parents took her and her sister to their house in Scotland for Christmas as a surprise. Also going with the Evans' on this little vacation was Lily's sisters boyfriend Vernon. As Lily described him in her last letter, he was an over grown pig with an equal obsession with what people thought as Petunia. Cory had never been too fond of Petunia personally. But then again neither had Lily. Whenever it was family visitors day at camp, Petunia would always act as if she was too good for them and the camp. Her nose would hang up in the air and would screech at the sight of any bug or animal. Merlin, Cory hated Petunia. And apparently, Lily hated Vernon. This was not boding well. Lily loved the Christmas holidays, and if Petunia's fat new boyfriend ruined them, she would be the extreme of upset. Cordelia could already imagine the screaming rants she would have to listen to when Lily came back to school. There would most likely be a whole lot of stomping, raving and pounding of fists into pillows.

Yet, Cory couldn't help but think about how lucky Lily really was. She had parents that adored her in every which way. It wasn't even her family that Cory was most envious of, but the one thing that almost everyone had and Cory had always desired for; a home. People always said, "Oh, I'll probably just go home." Or, "I was home last night and….". Cory never could say that because she never had a home. Sure, there were all her foster homes, but she never felt any of the proper characteristics of a home in those places. Never warmth, love, or safety. Always fear, hate and depression. When people went home for the holidays or whenever, they always came back with stories about people like crazy Aunt Phoebe and her cats who is still high of the incense she smoked in her hippy days or the comical Uncle Ned who always had a joke ready at any time. Cory wanted that. She wanted a huge family that would notice if she wasn't at a party or if she didn't eat enough. Though most of all, she just wanted a home. A place she could go and she would know she was safe. A place where she could always go. Somewhere where there was just someone who cared for her and cared whether she came home that night or not. Someone who would be there when she came back. A home.

It could be anything. An apartment with a dog. A mansion filled with people. A little cottage with a man she loved.

Would she ever find that place? A place where she could be her self. A place where it didn't matter if she wasn't in the best mood or if she was dressed in paint splattered sweats. A place of her own. If she ever got one she wouldn't know till the rest of her life played out, but till then she could at least think about one.

* * *

9:00 in the morning

Right side. Uncomfortable. Laying on stomach. Flips over. Covers fall. Flies forward and grabs them. Proceeds to throw them over head. Burrowing deep, finally Sirius Black realizes that he is awake and won't be getting back to sleep again.

Cordelia Ash exits the Great Hall after her breakfast. One Lucius Malfoy follows behind. Cordelia feels his presence then feels her breakfast starting to come back up.

9:07

Sirius Black rolls, literally, out of bed onto the floor. Yells in annoyance. Gets up and makes way over to the couches and sits.

Cordelia Ash quickens her pace to try and lose Lucius.

9:10

Sirius Black writes a note to James Potter.

_Prongs, I won't be on the train today. Stop freaking out. I snuck into Hogwarts last night by floo into the ROR. Relax, tell Moony and Flo. I'll tell you the whole story when you get here. – Padfoot_

Cordelia Ash reaches her destination of hiding. The Room of Requirement.

9:12:15

Sirius Black stands up.

Cordelia Ash opens door and runs into the Room of Requirement. Slams door. Closes eyes and slides down the door to the floor.

9:12:16

Sirius Black freezes.

Cordelia Ash opens her eyes.

9:12:27

After eleven seconds of shock, Cordelia Ash hits herself across the face.

"Okay….I'm not dreaming…" Cory slowly stood up and walked in front of a very frozen Sirius and touched his cheek. She pulled back. Her eyes were wide and she moved back a step. Cory then said only one word, "How?"

"Floo. Took it from my house to here late last night." Sirius said finally finding his voice and taking a step towards Cory. She stood very still looking at him. Her gaze broke and she looked down.

"So your really here?" Cory asked.

Grinning, Sirius nodded his head. Cory then smiled for the first time that day. In a whirl of emotion, Cory yells and jumps up on Sirius wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. Sirius laughs and holds her close to him. He finally is with Cory. Even if it was only two weeks, to the both of them it feels like it was two years. _How is it possible to have missed someone so much?_ Cory asked herself still hugging Sirius as close to her as possible. This was an absolute upturn for her Christmas holiday.

**Review please, I love it when you do! Oh and don't worry, this is in noo way the last chapter! Peace and love, padfootqueen!**


	19. Happy Holidays?

**AN: Well, hello, hello, hello, long time no see! I'm awfully sorry for my absence but it seems that I have rediscovered my own story, so therefore I am back! For good! This is one of the longest chapters I have ever written so I hope you enjoy it! My love always padfootqueen**

* * *

"Alice!"

".. then he gave me a …"

"…new robes…"

"So, where did you go?"

"…went ice skating!"

"Michael!"

"Over here!"

"…bloody amazing!"

Joyous vibes and happy voices filled the large hall and everywhere people were embracing. Streams of students pushed, shoved, yelled and screamed their way into the Hogwarts Great Hall. With rosy cheeks and chapped lips from the cold outside, they moved towards their tables bearing grins and sparkling eyes. A certain lightness was in the air and as the students took their seats, their headmaster stood to make his usual speech.

"Welcome, welcome! It is wonderful to have all of you back here with us again. I assure you that you were all surely missed." The headmaster began smiling down at his students with a blissful expression on his face and that famous twinkle in his eye. "No rules have changed and since there are no more further announcements, tuck in!"

With that, foods of all sorts were presented to the students and staff. Conversation started up again and the students ate their delicious feast. At the Griffindor table a bunch of friends ate happily with each other and were deeply in conversation. Or at least Lily was.

"….absolutely horrible! Honestly, Petunia is the biggest cow ever! Her arse of a boyfriend is such a whale!"

"Well that was colorful…" Bethany said with an amused look. Everyone laughed and Lily faked getting angry with her friend but then gave up and just laughed.

Lily told the rest of her story of her awful vacation. Then, everyone went around in a circle telling what he or she did. Cory just said she spent all of her time avoiding Snape and Malfoy, which was partially true. She wasn't sure if she was going to tell her friends about the Vanes' deaths and she didn't know how they would react if they knew Cory had special powers, let alone if she was taking lessons from Dumbledore. Cory knew she would tell Lily but she wasn't sure about the rest of her friends. As for Sirius…. well she would have to think on that one.

Remus finished his retelling of his Christmas and then it was Sirius' turn. In all honesty, Cory and Sirius really didn't talk much about anything important the whole day they spent with each other. It seemed to them both that they didn't want to talk about their Christmas breaks just yet. So subconsciously, they avoided the subject gladly.

Sirius cleared his throat and said with a slight frown on his face, "Oh, I didn't do much. Just tried not to die of boredom, y'know it was like being in History of Magic, trying not to fall asleep or anything." This made everyone laugh, well almost everyone. One James Potter forced his laugh and looked his best friend straight in the eye.

Sirius froze. He looked in his best friends' eyes and knew he was done. He was never able to hide anything from James. At that point, Emma had taken out a gift that she had been given and everyone looked over at her and was studying it. No one noticed when James mouthed across the table, _You're lying; _and raised an eyebrow.

Sirius looked over at his other friends and made sure that they were all still focused on whatever Emma had received and mouthed back, _Not here._ And looked over at whatever Emma's gift was. The rest of the meal was spent without any real problems or serious discussions, though that might have been because half of them were extremely tired from the days events. Soon they finished and started their journey back to the common room. Or at least that's what everyone but James and Sirius were doing.

Remus turned around and saw that his friends had stopped at the bottom of a moving staircase and yelled down, "Hey, guys hurry up before the staircase moves again!"

"James, what are you doing?", Lily shouted down at them. By now, everyone in their little group had turned to look down at them and all wore puzzled expressions. After about a minute of private discussion between Sirius and James, Sirius turned and walked in the opposite direction they needed to go in.

Cory stood at the top of the stairs and looked after her boyfriend's retreating back. _Where was he going?_

"Sirius?" Cory yelled after him. Merlin, she was confused.

After hearing Cory's yell, Sirius turned around and faced her. "I'll be back in little while." He called to her and with that he started back down the hallway.

James came up the stairs and said, "He's just going to do something, relax."

They looked hesitant to believe it but then decided what could be going on that they wouldn't be told about? Everyone turned and started going back to the common room, except for Cory. James' explanation hadn't caused her to stop focusing on what her boyfriend was doing. _Where is he going?_ Her mind asked after him.

Suddenly someone touched Cory's shoulder and she jumped about a mile and half off the ground. She turned, and there was Lily looking taken aback.

"Whoa, Cory are you okay? I didn't mean to scare you or anything. Sorry." Lily said quickly, looking down after she finished.

"Lil, it's fine. I was just thinking about where Sirius was going and I guess I was in deeper thought then I imagined." Cory said and laughed a little.

"Well, there's going to be a sort of a party or something in the common room to celebrate coming back to Hogwarts, you want to go?"

Cory looked around; she didn't want to go a party right now, even if all of her friends were going to be there. "Not really-"

"Thank Merlin!" Lily said and hooked her arm through Cory's and started down the stairs in typical Lily fashion. "Cory, let's go somewhere, to talk."

Cory, thoroughly surprised, nodded and continued down the hallway with her best friend.

* * *

Sirius cautiously looked around the corner of the corridor. No one was there, so he walked down and stopped in front of the door he was looking for; the door to the Room of Requirement. Walking inside, Sirius found himself in a comfortable place with a table and a few chairs in the corner. A couch and two armchairs were positioned around a fireplace and there was already a fire going. Sirius walked over, sat in one of the armchairs, and waited for James.

What would he say to his friend? He knew he should tell the truth because James would be able to tell if he lied, so why bother? Still there was that feeling deep inside that he thought he should just keep quiet.

Sirius looked up as he heard the sound of the door opening. There was James. Sirius looked back to the fire and James sat on the couch next to him. Sirius glanced at him and saw that James was staring into the fire as well. They sat for a long time in comfortable silence each waiting for the other to start.

"So should I just ask questions or are you just going to flat out tell me what really happened at your house?" James said breaking the silence and looking over at his best friend with a raised eyebrow. "You can choose."

Ripping his eyes from his friends gaze, Sirius gazed back into the fire and thought about where to begin.

"What do you want to know?" Sirius said without looking away from the fire.

Questions, okay, James could deal with that. "Did…." James took a deep breath, maybe he couldn't do questions. Merlin he hated this. It happened every year and he still couldn't mange to get use to it. They asked the same questions and said the same things every year. And every year James was forced to ask the question that he already knew the answer to but asked anyway. Sighing he then continued, "…they hit you?"

Silence ensued. Then, Sirius started laughing. This never happened. This was out of the script. James looked away from the fire and to his best friend instead. James looked at him and was, for the second time in his whole life, actually scared of his best friend. Sirius never laughed like this. Sirius' laugh was always cheerful and full of more life then anything else. However, this laugh wasn't. It was bitter, hollow, and so empty that it was frightening.

His voice was the same as his laugh when he spoke, "I thought that was a given by now." He looked in his friend's eyes and they stared at each other until Sirius continued, "I hate them. Why? Honestly, James, I want an answer, why is my family so bloody fucked up? What the hell did I do in my past life to deserve this! What!" By this time, he was standing and yelling.

"I don't know, Padfoot." Was all James could get in before Sirius started up again in his rant. What was James suppose to say? This didn't come in some handout or book called _What to do when your best friend loses it over his family_. There wasn't a course you could take to learn about dealing with your pained best friend. James was on his own, damn where was Remus when you needed him; Remus always knew what to do! Though, there was a reason James and Sirius were best friends. So, James faced his best friend and listened to everything he had to say, hoping that he was doing everything he should be.

James' job was made very easy; this time there wasn't any hesitation or need for James to ask questions, it just all came flowing out of Sirius' mouth. Everything that occurred in their time apart. Every painful word. Every punch and hit. Every night of anxiety. Everyday when Sirius couldn't bring himself to eat. Everything, Sirius couldn't bring himself to hold back anything. So, for the next two hours, James sat silently listening to his best friend's retelling of his horrible Christmas wishing he could have done something to prevent it.

* * *

Two girls climbed to an abandoned hallway on the sixth floor and stopped to have a look around. Quickly and as quietly as they could, they turned and entered the nearest classroom. Once inside Cory and Lily faced each other.

"Why do I feel like a fugitive or something?" Cory asked and was about to laugh when she remembered her latest dream. An odd internal shiver ran inside her and she did her best for it not to be seen by Lily. Cory must have done a great job because Lily just kept up their conversation.

"Please you're with a prefect, you're untouchable." Lily said putting on a mock arrogant voice. Grateful for her friend not noticing, Cory decided to try to forget what she so desperately wanted to erase from her thoughts; the dementors, those cold iron gates, tortured pained faces and the image of an older Sirius being dragged inside.

"Oh well, when you put it like that…." Cory said laughing and semi-forgetting her previous thoughts.

Slowly their laughter died and they sat down in chairs that were carelessly left about the classroom. The classroom obviously hadn't been used in a while. There was dust covering almost every surface and the blackboard was void of any writing, diagram or anything that could have told them what this classroom was used for. Light in the room was dim but not too scarce for it to have the feel that something was going to pop out at you. There was also a certain odd comfort that the two best friends felt in the room. It wasn't a very nice room, but it had a feel to it that made them both feel safe. After a few moments of companionable silence, in which both girls took in their surroundings, Cory voiced a question.

"Lily, not to be mean or anything…. but…. ahh… why are we here? Is there something you want us to discuss or are we just discovering abandoned classrooms now for kicks?"

Lily laughed at her best friend. Cory could always make anything seem funny. She was always a good person too have around when things seemed to be getting to serious. However, the truth was, Lily had a feeling that Cory didn't share all that happened over her break with her. Cory over the years had developed a bad habit of not telling the whole story about something. That was something not so good about Cory. If she didn't want you to know something then you weren't going to find it out. Secret keeping was a tendency that Cory had acquired a long time ago. Whether it was just a defense mechanism or something more, Lily wasn't sure, but nevertheless, she was curious about her friend's real holiday break.

"Cory, at dinner, did you tell us about your whole break or just parts of it?"

Cory, who had had a small smile playing on her lips, froze. Then it happened. Something Lily could see shifted in her best friend's eyes. It felt like Cory had put up a shield.

When Cory spoke, her voice had a shield up too. "What do you mean? I meant what I said before; I mostly just tried to stay as far away from Snape and Malfoy as possible. Otherwise, it was just a whole lot of random wanderings around the castle and trips to Hogsmeade by myself."

Cordelia wasn't exactly sure why she was lying to her best friend about something that she could easily enough trust Lily with. Though in the past two weeks and especially since last night's dream, she had been on the edge about many things. The whole break she couldn't help but sink back into her old ways of keeping to herself. Even when she saw Sirius that morning in the Room of Requirement, she was obviously surprised, but she also felt un-nerved by seeing him before everyone else was due to arrive. Cordelia hoped Lily would drop it but judging by the look that Lily was giving her, she knew that Lily wanted the whole story.

After five minutes of last desperations to avoid the conversation of her true 'vacation', Cory caved and decided to just tell Lily. The truth was, Lily was after all the one person Cory could forever depend on. Why should she bother? So, pushing her thoughts of uneasiness out of her mind, she began her story.

"Well, I guess it started the day you guys left, Christmas Eve. I went to dinner and there were only about seven students that actually stayed behind over holidays. All the way to the Great Hall, I kept getting this feeling in my stomach. This sort of signal, maybe, I don't know, but whatever it was I kept thinking that something was wrong. Only, I didn't know what so I convinced myself to try to forget whatever it was. But I couldn't. So, when I finally arrived at the Great Hall, I went over to the table that was set up for everyone who had stayed behind. Only when I got there, there was only one seat left and guess who it was in-between?"

Lily was listening to every word her friend had said and replied, "Knowing your luck, Malfoy and….Snape?"

"Correct." This earned a gagging noise from Lily and then Cory continued her story. "Yea, gag is right and I was supposed to eat in-between them! Well, somehow I did and then quickly left. But once I was outside the Great Hall Malfoy was right there, waiting for me. I'm thinking, 'oh shit how am I going to get away from this guy?' when all of sudden Dumbledore was behind me and asked me to come to his office. He started asking me questions about my life back home in New York and if I was in foster care. When I said yes, he got this really sad look on his face."

She stopped. She had to take a deep breath before continuing. It still shook her that the Vanes were really dead.

Cory's abrupt stop surprised Lily. Lily leaned forward to her friend, placed a hand on her shoulder, and said, "Cor, are you okay? If you want to stop it's okay, we can, I completely understand."

Cordelia shook her head. "No, its fine…just kind of hard to believe. You remember the Vanes right?"

Lily nodded, "They're your last foster parents right? The ones who were the worst?"

"Exactly, that's them. Well, Dumbledore told me that the day before that they were attacked and well, they're dead." Lily gasped. Cory nodded and continued, "I know, it's crazy, right? Well that's what I thought, and then he didn't stop, I didn't even get a real chance to think about it, because then he told me who did it. Lily, it was Voldemort. He's going to come after me we think. I mean he always said he would, but I never thought he really would. No one has even heard from him in like forever and now he's back and he killed my old foster parents.

"Dumbledore continued and said that because of this, I should build up my powers as a unique. Then, this guy came in. It was a guy that had been at dinner but wasn't introduced to us. Dumbledore told me his name was Alastor Moody and was his very close friend who was visiting him for the holidays. I left because they were going to have a meeting and when I went outside, there was Malfoy. Again. He started walking with me as I was going back to the common room and he just kept talking about how I was a pureblood and should be more in touch with how much of a gift it really was. When we reached the main staircase Snape was there, apparently they had to go somewhere. You know me, normally I would just forget about my whole conversation with him, but for some reason, the things he was saying and how he had attacked me, just caused me to take in everything he was saying. But what really got me was the last thing he said. He said something like that every pureblooded witch or wizard eventually turns evil or _black._"

Cory stopped to let all she said sink in for her best friend. Cory had to ask Lily the question that had been in her head the whole holiday, "Lily, you don't think he meant Sirius do you? When he said 'black'? I mean…."

By that point Lily had decided to answer, "I'm not sure Cordelia. I mean, I don't know really how to say this but, you know Sirius is pure blooded, right?" Cory shook her head yes. "Do you know about his family at all?"

"No, we really haven't talked about stuff like that yet. He doesn't know about my parents yet either."

"Cor, I wouldn't be so sure."

"What!"

"I'm not saying that he knows, but he might. Cory, his parents…well, their not exactly good people. Or, for that matter, good witches and wizards. I learned this from Alex, you know from Quidditch, and he's a pureblood too. He told that Sirius' parents were privately in the inner circle for You-Know Who. He told me this a while a ago, in like third year I think, and I wasn't going to tell you, but well, if Sirius' parents were that close to You-Know-Who, then maybe…."

"They might have been there that night." Cory finished for her best friend and sat in shock. This couldn't be true. It just couldn't. Granted, yes, fate could be cruel, but come on, enough! "No, Lily, that can't be true. I mean look at Sirius, he's one of the most anti-purest people I know. I-"

Lily interrupted her. "But don't you remember that day we ran into Snape that day when we were leaving Defense and he said that Sirius was a blood traitor? Yea, well it makes sense. His family is obsessed with the dark arts and he isn't. It fits. I'm not saying Sirius is a dark wizard, he's my friend. Now as hard as it is even for me to believe, I wouldn't say that about him. But just because he isn't dark doesn't mean that his family isn't. I think that they very well could have been there that night Cory."

Cory's head swam. Could what Lily was saying really be true? Could Sirius' parents be that evil? Could they have killed her parents? It was all too much.

Lily noticed Cory's expression and said, "Look, why don't we just think about this later. What else happened over the holiday?"

Cory was a bit hesitant to continue, but then decided she would just think about Sirius' parents later. "Well…. the next day was Christmas and Dumbledore sent me a message asking to meet with me again. Only in this meeting, we actually did things with my magic. He gave me all sorts of spells to do and I did them all easily. He said he was surprised and then the same guy, Moody, came in. I left and then came to realize that I left my sweatshirt in Dumbledore's office. When I went back I heard him and Moody talking about my parents! They said how much I look like my father and how it freaked them out. Also they said that they were scared I remembered too much about the night my parents died. Do you think they knew my parents Lil? I really think they did."

"I think they did too. But why wouldn't they just tell you?"

"I'm not sure but it just confused me so much that I left. I had lessons with Dumbledore every other night for the rest of the break but I just couldn't bring myself to say anything about it to him. At our last lesson, I learned how to produce a patronus. When I was done, I asked where I would ever meet up with a dementor because that's what the charm repels. Dumbledore then told me about the British wizard prison, Azkaban. Lily, I couldn't stop thinking about Azkaban for the whole day."

"I know, dreadful place, right? We learned about it last year." Lily said and waited for Cory to continue.

"Well…that night, I had this dream, but only it felt so real. Lily, I dreamt that I was at Azkaban. I wasn't a prisoner; I was just kind of standing there outside of it. There were thousands of dementors and I could see the people inside the prison looking out at me." Cory stopped, she knew she had to say the next part of her dream, but she was scared to. If she said it aloud then it would really feel like it happened. But, she drew up her courage and continued. "Lily, when I turned around, I saw- well- I- I saw Sirius being taken in there. He was being dragged inside."

Finally, she had said it and Lily looked at her, her eyes the size of galleons and her mouth hanging open.

"He was being taken in?" Lily asked, her voice soft and filled with curiosity.

"Yes, only he was older, maybe twenty…I'm not sure. But he was there and he was fighting to get away from the dementors but they were stronger. Then I woke up."

"Cory…. wow you had quite a break…. are you sure you're okay?"

"I don't know, I mean I've time to think over everything, but I just can't get this idea of my world changing so quickly out of my head and I can't do anything about it. It's like I just let go of my life and all sorts of people have grabbed on."

Lily hugged her best friend tightly and suddenly Cory started to cry. Lily held her tighter and tried to tell her that everything was going to be okay. They sat like that for a long time before realizing that they had been there for over two hours. Silently they left and started back towards the common room. Lily still had her arm around Cory's shoulders and Cory still had her arm around Lily's waist and her head on her shoulder. They talked quietly about little bits of nothing and both finally felt better just being together again.

* * *

Sirius and James sat in the Room of Requirement in silence. Sirius had just finished his story and James had his head in his hands with his elbows on his knees. Sirius just sat across from him in the other armchair looking up at the ceiling.

"My Dad could do something. He's an Auror, he could-" James started but Sirius cut him off.

"It wouldn't do any use James. My parents would lie and get their friends in the courts to get them out of it. I mean honestly, my Dad and Malfoy's Dad have been best friends since birth and he's got the minister wrapped around his finger. My case wouldn't even make trial."

As much as James hated to admit it, Sirius was right, there wasn't anything they could do. Sirius was stuck. After about twenty more minutes of light conversation that James made to make Sirius' thoughts stray from his family, they decided to head back to the common room.

As they walked out, they noticed two people they both recognized walking close to each other just a few feet ahead of them. Sirius and James looked after them and looked back at each other puzzled to why their girlfriends were walking on the sixth floor at eleven o'clock at night.

Raising eyebrows at each other, James started to walk down the hallway and said, "Lily?"

Sirius followed him and said, "Cordeila?"

The two girls froze and turned around to face the familiar voices. They looked at each other and then let go when their boyfriends came closer.

James and Lily embraced. They were both very shaken by what their best friends had just told them and seemed to need each other.

Sirius walked up to Cory and the first thing he noticed was that Cory's eyes were red. Cory all of sudden felt very unsure of her surroundings. She felt like hiding out somewhere for some reason. It seemed like with everything that had happened and with her telling it to Lily, it felt like it all just happened at once. Sirius noticed how Cory's whole body was stiff and tense and her body language was screaming a sort of fear at him.

He slowly walked up to her and said again gently, "Cordelia?"

Cory looked up at the sound of her name. She looked at Sirius and couldn't help but think of the dream she had. She openly shivered.

"Cordelia? What's wrong?" Sirius said with a tint of panic in his voice. He placed a hand on her shoulder and brought her chin up to make eye contact with him.

Cory leaned forward and rested her forehead on Sirius' chest. Immediately she felt two strong arms wrap themselves around her waist.

Cory looked up and said quietly, "Let's go back, please, Sirius."

He nodded and looked over at Lily and James who were looking at Cory, very worried. Sirius gestured with his head for them to start walking and they proceeded to walk to their common room.

As they walked, Lily and James walked behind Sirius and Cory realizing that they needed to have their own private conversation.

After a couple of minutes and Cory still hadn't said anything, Sirius spoke unnerved by her silence, "Cory?"

Softly Cory answered, "Yes, Sirius?"

"Do you need anything? Can I do anything?"

Cory was quiet for another two or three hallways before answering, "Just when we get back to the common room, just stay with me for a little while, please?"

"Of course."

In all honesty, Cory just didn't feel like being alone and Sirius didn't feel very comfortable leaving her by herself. It wasn't that he didn't trust her, because obviously he did. It was just that Cory all of a sudden seemed so unstable and he didn't feel right leaving her.

They were both so caught in thought that they didn't realize when they turned the corner they crashed into two other people. Headmaster Dumbledore and Moody were standing there and surprised Sirius and Cory so much that Sirius lost his grip on Cory and she went straight into them. She hit them and then fell backwards. Before anyone could stop her, she smashed right into the wall next to her.

Cory slipped into unconsciousness and all of sudden was watching her young self crying on her father's lifeless body. She herself started to cry in this dream state and then noticed people coming inside. A man walked right through her and over to the six year old version of herself. He picked her up and held her close to his chest. He had his back to her and another man walked up to the man with young Cory in his arms and motioned them to leave together. As they turned, Cory finally saw their faces. The faces that she had never seen and dreamed of seeing for so long.

She felt herself being pulled up and suddenly she was lying on the floor with Dumbledore above her saying, "Cordelia? Cordelia can you hear me?"

She looked to her right in a state of shock. There was Alastor Moody.

Cory took a tight, shuddering breath and looked at both of them, then spoke, "It was you?"

Then all she saw was black.


End file.
